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Boat of the Week: Meet ‘Cujo,’ the 80-Foot Yacht Where Late Movie Producer Dodi Al-Fayed Once Wooed Princess Diana

The couple spent some of their final summer cruising around saint-tropez aboard this fast, military-looking yacht., howard walker, howard walker's most recent stories.

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Cujo is an 80 foot motoryacht that was owned by Dodi Al-Fayed and used by Princess Diana before their deaths in 1997.

For a few brief weeks back in the summer of 1997, Cujo was the most famous boat in the world.

Not because of her intimidating military lines, or blistering 40-knot performance. It’s because Diana, Princess of Wales, hung out aboard in Saint-Tropez with the boat’s owner, and romantic partner Dodi Al-Fayed.

Countless paparazzi shots show the once future Queen of England on Cujo‘s narrow sidedecks, soaking up the Mediterranean sun. By the end of August that year, both Diana and Dodi would be dead after that fatal car wreck in Paris.

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Princess Diana's Love Boat: Why the sinking and loss of super-yacht Cujo really matters

The sinking of Cujo may not have dominated headlines, but the loss of this powerful super-yacht to the Mediterranean depths is a surprisingly emotional reminder of the story and loss of Diana, Princess of Wales

In late July 2023, as news reports emerged of the sinking of a super-yacht called Cujo in the Mediterranean sea , it would have been rather tempting for those who didn’t own such a luxurious, ocean-going vessel to simply sigh and move on without a second thought. Yet, for those who lived through the mid-1990s and who can therefore also recall what the media were particularly fascinated with at that time, images of this impressive craft sinking may have pricked their eyes with tears. And, we believe, for good reason. Distress calls from the vessel were first picked up by the Gendarmerie des Alpes-Maritimes at 12.30pm on July 29, 2023. Conditions were glorious, bright skies illuminated the French Riviera. It was a good day for an excursion, unless you happened to hit an unidentified object as you sped away from the shore of Beaulieu-sur Mer. This is exactly what happened to Cujo. The impact caused notable damage to the starboard hull and water quickly submerged the engine room. There was no hope of salvation. The abyss slowly opened to take the super yacht down into the darkness. As Cujo’s seven passengers relocated onto a safety raft alongside, emergency responders were able to retrieve only a handful of items from the troubled yacht as her cabins had been swiftly overwhelmed. Cujo’s owner had activated the pumps, but – as Thomas Andrews of Harland & Wolff would’ve told you – "the pumps buy you time, but minutes only." For all of her impressive performance capacity, as well as a particularly intriguing history, Cujo slipped under the waves in what should’ve instead been a relaxed afternoon on the open sea. Gradually descending into the darkness, the echoes of modern history dissolved across the water's surface. As she sank, a physical reminder of a whirlwind romance and the media frenzy that it had kick-started back in 1997 came to rest. Out of reach, some 2,500 metres down. For anyone who can appreciate a refined mode of transport, the ability to cruise at will or public history, this was more than just the loss of an affluent individual’s yacht. The sinking of Cujo was the loss of some of history itself.

Cujo: An unstoppable force built to impress

Across her full lifespan, super yacht Cujo was never a wallflower. She was built to wow, go fast and enjoy life. Originally constructed in 1972 in the renowned Italian Baglietto shipyard , Cujo was built in line with some particularly demanding customer specifications. The wish list came from businessman John von Neumann, who was largely responsible for introducing America to the pleasures of Porsche. John commissioned a vessel that boasted premium luxury and a nostalgic maritime feel. Not to mention a Porsche-like turn of speed. That might sound like a tall ask but, thankfully, John had asked the Italians to create this highly-anticipated vessel. Being the land of Ferrari, Gucci and the Corleones , one can argue that Italy was more than capable of handling the request. John soon owned the fastest motor yacht in the world. The resulting craft was simply known as JvNS, but what a remarkable and innovative outcome she was. Measuring in at 80 feet with a raised amidship helm and decadent social area upon the foredeck – complete with two sun-beds up by the bow – a mere glance suggested she existed only for a good time to be had by anyone on board. Capable of delighting passengers with her luxury fittings while simultaneously proving unsettling to anyone nearby who was up to no good – thanks to her military-style paint and exterior – JvNS was a contradictory blend in persona. Whoever had the joy of testing her performance would first be greeted by an old-fashioned wheel and then extraordinary power surging from two 54-litre V-18 turbo diesel engines; delivering a thrilling 2,700 hp and top speed of 42 knots. When JvNS was around, you didn’t just listen out for engines thundering their way across a stretch of water, but for an amazing turbo whistle too.

JvNS had a magnetic pull wherever she happened to go. It was a refined swagger that attracted celebrities with ease. Clint Eastwood, Bruce Willis, Brooke Shields, Robert Downey Jr., Winona Ryder and Tony Curtis are just a few of the legendary names who’ve been made welcome. Regularly docked outside the Café de Paris in the world famous port of St Tropez, it’s no wonder that JvNS became a celebrity HQ in her own right. She was unparalleled in every way. In 2020, after a refit and performance upgrade to 3,300 hp, it was no surprise the JvNS – having affectionally gained the name Cujo from a former owner – starred in a short movie entitled The Portofino Affair .

Produced by yet another one of her owners – British car collector, buyer, seller and restorer Simon Kidston – we dare you not to be sucked into Cujo’s allure.

Her name translates as ‘unstoppable force’ in Indian, and this footage demonstrates how Cujo picked up the name for which she is best known. We also bet that, after the showing of this mere five-minute movie, you will likely have failed on that dare.

We also bet that you will be impressed by the majestic power of Cujo as she stars alongside a 1970s Lamborghini Miura and Maserati Ghibli Spyder in what had us reminiscing over the opening scenes of The Persuaders .

Either way, it is clear to see how Cujo gained a following. And this was the case before the mid-1990s, when she was about to navigate into noteworthy cultural history too.

The world’s most influential woman steps aboard

Super yacht Cujo was more than used to hosting her fair share of big names but someone was about to step aboard who would outshine all those before her. In turn, this would push the impressive vessel into the eye of a world headline storm. For her esteemed guest and the ship, the fateful summer of 1997 was about to unravel. Cujo had moved on from her initial owner von Neumann to arms dealer Adnan Khashoggi, before then being acquired by Khashoggi’s cousin, multi-millionaire and film producer Dodi Al Fayed. As Cujo started afresh with Dodi – son of Egyptian businessman Mohammed Al Fayed – the yacht benefitted from a £1 million refit and she shone brighter than ever before. Meanwhile, over in the UK, the British public were adjusting to the sad but inevitable news that, within their monarchy, Prince Charles and Diana, The Princess of Wales had divorced in August 1996. The proceedings marked the conclusion of the most observed and scrutinised Royal marriage in existence. Many Brits were disheartened to see what had seemed – back in the early 1980s – such a promising romance as it served to secure the line of British Royal succession. However, as the divorce went through and Diana lost the Her Royal Highness (HRH) status, many were fully supportive of the former princess. Much of the public’s empathy stemmed from how the marriage had made Diana particularly unhappy as she’d watched an affair smoulder between prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles over many years.

Many had already suspected the royal couple would never work out. The clues had been there from the beginning. In February 1981, as the couple announced their engagement – with Lady Diana Spencer at the tender age of 19 – Prince Charles spectacularly put his foot in it during the official engagement interview.

When asked if they were in love, a shy but glowing Lady Diana replied: “Of course.” Meanwhile Prince Charles uttered the infamous, blundering words of “Whatever ‘in love’ is.” Diana’s subsequent look down towards the floor says it all. It was crushing. Now, 15 years later and the divorce complete, Diana was finally devoid of Royal obligation and still a beautiful woman. Thanks to her humanitarian efforts, she was also regarded as the world’s most influential too. In the July 1997 issue of Vanity Fair , Diana had been photographed by Mario Testino and her beauty was more evident than ever. Diana was 36 and single, while the world awaited what she would do next. Sitting like a cocked gun were the press. With the slightest hint of romance in Diana’s life, they were ready to pounce. The resultant media hounding had sent her first post-divorce prospect – cardiologist Hasnat Khan – scurrying and Diana had faced heartbreak once more. She was in need of an escape from home turf and distraction. Cue the Al Fayed family, who had a long-term and close-knit relationship with the Royals. Mohammed Al Fayed invited Diana to join them at one of his residences – the Villa Windsor, former home of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor in Paris – and Diana keenly accepted. With her sons on holiday with their father at Balmoral and she at a loss, the invitation proved an attractive, well-timed idea to Lady Diana. Soon after, Diana was spotted on Mediterranean waters, out yachting with Dodi Al Fayed. Diana and Dodi had first met in 1986, when Fayed played against Diana’s then-husband Princes Charles at a polo match. Afterwards, they bumped into one another every once and a while at various social events. Dodi enjoyed a playboy lifestyle, Diana persevered with her testing marriage.

Cujo was one of two yachts the pair now utilised, the other being the Jonikal which was owned by Mohammed Al Fayed. The ever-present press pestered both yachts with smaller vessels of their own, photographers always at the ready. Within days, rumours began to spring that Dodi was Diana’s new lover. It was an intriguing prospect. As many had watched Diana suffer the long-term heartache, embarrassment and disappointment of an unsuccessful marriage with Prince Charles, they had also wished that, one day, she would find meaningful love and happiness elsewhere. Eventually, the press were in luck – the famous photograph, nicknamed ‘The Kiss’ circulated, establishing what everyone had suspected. It was officia: Dodi and Diana were in a relationship. With the revelation, many days out upon Cujo and the Jonikal followed. On both crafts, Diana looked healthy, happy and care-free. The world watched fascinated as Diana re-found herself, far from Charles and all the resulting mess that had occupied most of her young adulthood. Pictures of Diana relaxing in swimwear , conversing with Dodi and enjoying jet-ski rides upon the glittering waters, all suggested she’d finally accepted that her marriage to Prince Charles and the Royal life she had known had ceased. Of everyone observing, it was the Brits who were most happy to see Diana finally having some fun while any woman who knew the heartache of a failed relationship likely cheered her on with the mantra of: You show him girl. Throughout the summer of 1997, the romance between Diana and Dodi enthralled the world. Despite Diana’s evolving status in societal circles, she was at the height of her power.

A poignant loss as contemporary history slips away

As the blissful, heady cruise came to a close, Diana and Dodi prepared to return to England. Because Dodi had some business to take care of on behalf of his father in Paris, the couple opted to fly to the French capital on route. They planned to have dinner in central Paris before travelling to the Ritz hotel, owned by Mohammed. However, the local paparazzi had heard they were in town and their first attempt at dining had been aborted. Unimpressed, the couple tried again at the Ritz. As Diana and Dodi made their way through the hotel’s rotating doors, an intimidating mass of vehicles, photographers and noise amassed outside the glamourous venue. Diana and Dodi ate and sheltered within the hotel. The nearby ruckus continued and grew. Diana in particular was used to being hounded by the press but circumstances that evening were getting out of hand. It was becoming an intimidating situation. CCTV footage from within the Ritz shows the couple feeling increasingly concerned and harassed as the night wears on. Although safe within the confines of the hotel, they appear understandably keen to leave. What was to follow next was one of the most tragic sequences in contemporary history. Aiming to fool the skirmish outside, a decoy vehicle left at the front of the Ritz in the hope of luring most of the mob away. In part, the distraction worked but a few, less naïve journalists, hung back.

At the rear of the hotel, Diana and Dodi exited via the back door, climbing into another car. The hope was to leave unnoticed and, in doing so, evade the press. The plan did not work.

Much like the hotel, their black Mercedes quickly found itself also harassed by the media, many of whom followed on motorcycles. What resulted was a short but desperate chase that was to culminate with a horrific conclusion. The car that had tried to whisk Diana and Dodi to safety instead crashed at high speed within the Pont de l’Alma tunnel . Dodi and driver Henri Paul died at the scene, while bodyguard Trevor Rees-Jones and Lady Diana were both seriously injured. Diana was taken to La Pitié Salpêtrière hospital but, at around 4am, passed away from injuries sustained in the crash. As the news filtered out, the world was in shock. No-one was quite able to take in what had happened. One of the world’s most adored women had been lost in a catastrophic accident after a new start had just begun to look tangible. Momentous public grief ensued, it all seemed unbelievably unfair. Happiness had been within reach for Diana and then cruelly, it was snatched away. In today’s Britain, Prince Charles is now King with his mistress Camilla having become Queen Consort. Diana’s sons, who were so deeply affected by her death, are now both grown and married with children of their own.

But, in the background, the tragedy of that night and what could have been lingers on. The British public haven’t forgotten.

It is these difficult memories that have yet again been evoked as images of the sinking Cujo were released. While the public may no longer have Lady Diana, there remain physical elements of her legacy which exist beyond the tragic incident of August 31, 1997. It is possible to visit Althorp House – the Spencer family home in Northamptonshire – and, from time-to-time, personal correspondence and artefacts that once belonged to Diana surface in a museum exhibition or come to auction. However, the super yacht Cujo was different in many regards to many other connections to Lady Diana’s life. Cujo was a craft that Lady Diana would likely have appreciated for it was not unknown for the Princess to drive and enjoy her Jaguar XJS , a luxurious and capable car, alongside various sports cars and Range Rovers. Diana could therefore have understood the luxurious appeal and impressive performance of Cujo. The yacht was more than just a vessel, it became a comfort.

Furthermore, in the summer of 1997, Cujo was a means of escape from many of Diana’s troubles which had made her so unhappy for so long. Between them, both Cujo and the Jonikal were able to offer welcome relief. The crafts ensured Diana had fun. If you consider the vast pressure and strain endured by Lady Diana up to that point, the fact that she was seen relaxed and smiling on board, was in itself a remarkable feat. They gave hope that happiness was possible. We like to maintain connections to our past, whether it be physical items, recordings or photographs. They help us to understand our cultural heritage and others around us. Cujo, while not part of a museum collection and able to be easily accessed, was a brief yet significant component of the latter stages of Lady Diana’s life and her search for what lay beyond the role that had been retracted by the British Monarchy after her divorce from Prince Charles. For many of us, that summer of 1997 and the photographs of Diana and Dodi on board Cujo and the Jonikal, represent a time when Diana was finally happy. We eagerly wanted her to be so and even just knowing that those vessels were afloat and doing what they’ve always done best was somehow a comfort after we had lost Diana herself. To see Cujo floundering, was to have the thought of – ‘But that was where Diana was so happy’ – come to mind.

Losing Cujo is therefore poignant when it comes to our cultural history and heritage. Cujo – like Diana, had soul and wowed wherever she went – and will be missed.

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Gillian has been a part of the heritage world for longer than she would care to admit. From piloting pre-war racers across Montlhéry and traversing the Cumbrian mountains with an Edwardian automobile, to flying a WWI Tiger Moth and obsessing over all things shipping, Gillian lives for history. Starting out on Classic Car titles for Bauer's extensive portfolio, Gillian has since moved onto a successful freelance career covering all manner of heritage aspects as both writer and photographer. She is currently involved with the RNLI's bicentenary and was a proud part of the new Land Rover Defender's launch campaign. When not buried in a book or lost to the archives, you'll usually find her under the bonnet of her classic Rover or exploring the old shipyards of the North East. Gillian mostly runs on high-octane Earl Grey.

Yacht that Princess Diana spent last summer on with Dodi Al-Fayed sinks to bottom of Mediterranean

Cujo, which made front-page news around the world back in the summer of 1997 when Diana was entertained on board a year after her divorce from Prince Charles, went down in 2500m (8200ft) of water.

Thursday 3 August 2023 17:00, UK

A motor yacht used by Princess Diana and her boyfriend Dodi Al-Fayed on their final summer holiday in the South of France before they died in a Paris car crash has sunk.

The 19m (62ft) Cujo went down 21 miles (35km) off Beaulieu-sur-Mer after sending out a mayday call last Saturday.

The seven people on board the luxury vessel, which was taking on water, were rescued by teams from Antibes before it sank to the bottom of the Mediterranean at a depth of 2500m (8200ft).

They were safely returned to shore.

The area was monitored for pollution as the boat sank with 7,000 litres of diesel in its tanks.

Cujo made front page news around the world back in the summer of 1997 when Al-Fayed entertained Diana onboard, a year after her divorce from Prince Charles, which was finalised in August 1996.

That summer, Diana was also photographed on Sokar, the yacht then owned by al Fayed's billionaire father Mohamed.

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Princess Diana and Dodi Fayed's iconic love boat is now at the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea

The yacht on which Princess Diana holidayed with Dodi Fayed is now at the bottom of the sea, per The Times .
The boat, named Cujo, sank after it collided with an unidentified object off the French Riviera.
Cujo has changed hands multiple times in recent years and was most recently owned by a wealthy Italian family.

The yacht where Princess Diana spent part of her last summer with Dodi Fayed has sunk to the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea.

The boat, named Cujo, sank on July 29 after colliding with an unidentified object off Beaulieu-sur-Mer on the French Riviera, The Times reported.

The Gendarmerie des Alpes-Maritimes uploaded a statement onto their Facebook page confirming that they responded to a distress call from a boat that was in trouble about 35 kilometers, or 22 miles, off the coast.

By the time the coast guards arrived at the scene, the yacht was already partially submerged.

"The distressed yacht is already starting to sink from the front and the 7 shipwrecked are just next to it in a life raft," the statement said. "The cabins of the yacht are already flooded, only a few suitcases located in the kitchen and on the deck can be retrieved."

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The Famous Superyacht on Which Dodi Fayed Courted Princess Diana in the Summer of 1997 Sinks to the Bottom of the Mediterranean Sea

If you were around that summer 26 years ago, you remember this vessel well from the hordes of photos taken of it with the Princess of Wales aboard.

Last August 31 was the 25-year anniversary of the deaths of Princess Diana , Dodi Fayed, and Henri Paul, who passed away as a result of a Parisian car accident in the early morning hours of that day in 1997. (Diana’s bodyguard Trevor Rees-Jones was severely injured but survived the crash.) The summer of 1997 will come to the forefront once more in the forthcoming season six of Netflix’s The Crown , due to debut later this year, and we will no doubt see scenes of Diana and Dodi from their final summer together aboard the superyacht Cujo—a vessel that has made headlines this week.

The Cujo sinking on July 29, 2023

In an unexpected twist to the story, 26 years after Diana and Dodi enjoyed its comforts, Cujo sunk to the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea on July 29, with seven passengers aboard. (All seven are safe and unharmed, thankfully.) People reports that the yacht—of which thousands upon thousands of paparazzi photos were taken in the summer of 1997, as the press tried to figure out the relationship between Diana and Dodi—was “sinking due to a leak” after it allegedly hit an unidentified object on the French Riviera, according to an officer. “The skipper of the Cujo issued a Mayday,” an officer said, per The Independent . “Rescue boats were sent from Antibes and, after making sure everyone was safe, gendarmes detected a significant water leak at the level of the starboard front hull. Her owner had activated the pumps and kept the engines running, but this didn’t stop the boat sinking.”

Gendarmerie des Alpes-Maritimes, a branch of the French military, released a statement addressing the incident on its Facebook page, where it was disclosed that the Antibes Nautical Brigade first responded to a distress call at 12:30 p.m. local time for a yacht located 35 kilometers off the coast of Beaulieu-sur-Mer, France, People reports. “When they arrived at the scene 45 minutes later, the ship was already sinking, and the cabins had begun to flood,” the outlet writes. “The seven passengers were already transferred to a life raft and examined for injuries before being taken back to shore.”

Princess Diana that final summer aboard Fayed's boat

After first meeting at a polo match in 1986—in which Dodi was playing against Diana’s then-husband, Prince Charles —Diana and Dodi reconnected romantically over a decade later after Dodi’s father, Mohamed al Fayed, invited the princess and her sons, Prince William and Prince Harry , to vacation at their villa in St. Tropez, France. Diana and Dodi developed a connection aboard the 20-meter superyacht, as the world watched and wondered through paparazzi photos taken of them at the time. Dodi himself owned the Cujo and had spent around £1 million refitting the boat “and wooed Diana on board, as the world’s media looked on,” The Independent reports.

Princess Diana and Prince Harry on the Fayed boat

Princess Diana waves at bodyguard Trevor Rees-Jones, who would be the sole survivor in the crash that took her life not long after this photo was taken

We’ll never know what would have come from the seemingly budding romance, as the two were killed riding side by side together through a tunnel in Paris—Dodi instantly in the tunnel, and Diana later at the hospital. The car in which they were riding was traveling at 121 mph in order to escape the aforementioned paparazzi chasing them on motorcycles—trailing them this time on land rather than, as they had all summer, at sea. The chase, plus driver Paul’s intoxication, led to the triple fatal crash and the end to any happiness Diana and Dodi might have shared together—the beginnings of which are now resting at the bottom of the Mediterranean.

Cujo—frequently moored off St. Tropez—saw other celebrity guests including Clint Eastwood and Bruce Willis. After Dodi’s death, Cujo fell into disrepair and was decommissioned two years later in 1999. It spent years in storage before being restored by new owners.

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Rachel Burchfield is a writer, editor, and podcaster whose primary interests are fashion and beauty, society and culture, and, most especially, the British Royal Family and other royal families around the world. She serves as Marie Claire’s Senior Celebrity and Royals Editor and has also contributed to publications like Allure, Cosmopolitan, Elle, Glamour, Harper’s Bazaar, InStyle, People, Vanity Fair, Vogue, and W, among others. Before taking on her current role with Marie Claire, Rachel served as its Weekend Editor and later Royals Editor. She is the cohost of Podcast Royal , a show that was named a top five royal podcast by The New York Times. A voracious reader and lover of books, Rachel also hosts I’d Rather Be Reading , which spotlights the best current nonfiction books hitting the market and interviews the authors of them. Rachel frequently appears as a media commentator, and she or her work has appeared on outlets like NBC’s Today Show, ABC’s Good Morning America, CNN, and more.

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Boat of the Week: Meet ‘Cujo,’ the 80-Foot Yacht Where Late Movie Producer Dodi Al-Fayed Once Wooed Princess Diana

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For a few brief weeks back in the summer of 1997, Cujo was the most famous boat in the world.

Not because of her intimidating military lines, or blistering 40-knot performance. It’s because Diana, Princess of Wales , hung out aboard in Saint-Tropez with the boat’s owner, and romantic partner Dodi Al-Fayed.

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Catching Cujo: How I accidentally bought Dodi Al Fayed’s old yacht at auction

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This is the incredible story of Cujo, the 21m Baglietto once owned by Dodi Al-Fayed, who hosted Princess Diana on board during the fateful summer of 1997...

Simon Kidston never intended to buy a boat. He had distant yet fond memories of travelling through the French canals on his father’s Fairey Swordsman in the 1970s and dreamed of keeping a Riva Aquarama on Lake Geneva, but despite this nagging desire it never came to fruition.

So how did a man with a love of classic cars end up “accidentally” buying one of the most famous superyachts ever built for an absolute song?

To understand this you have to go back 15 years to a time when Simon left auctioneers Bonhams to start his own business buying, selling and restoring classic cars. Cars are all he has ever known career-wise but they are also a personal passion.

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That’s why he specialises in classic cars with a story behind them and a background that holds a particular allure: “We often help clients find family cars that they would like to buy back – generally rare and special ones,” he says.

“It’s like those people who save waif and stray dogs. I see a car that is neglected, forlorn and down at heel – a rough diamond – and I love bringing it back to life.”

He went on his own personal journey to find a family gem, a 1938 Bugatti built for his father that he tracked down and acquired 50 years after he had sold it.

He adds, “I believe that cars like this are there to be used and leaving them in a garage just to polish them is to not understand them fully.”

Read the full story of how Simon Kidston bought Cujo in the May issue of MBY, out April 1.

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Princess Diana and Dodi Fayed’s Former Yacht Sinks Off the Coast of France

By Katherine McLaughlin

Diana Princess Of Wales is seen in St Tropez in the summer of 1997.

Before their untimely deaths in the late summer of 1997, Princess Diana and Dodi Fayed spent a few brief paparazzi-festered weeks aboard Cujo, a 65-foot, military-style superyacht. As Robb Report described it, the boat was once the most famous in the world thanks to her high-profile passengers. Now, a little over a quarter of a century later, the infamous boat has sunk off the coast of France, reports The Independent .

The boat sank quickly after the distress call was made.

According to a Facebook post from the Gendarmerie des Alpes-Maritimes, a division of the French military, passengers issued a distress call around 12:30 local time on July 29. A little under an hour later, a rescue boat arrived, finding the vessel’s bow already partially submerged. “The cabins of the yacht were already flooded, and only a few suitcases located in the kitchen and on the deck could be retrieved by the gendarmes,” reads the statement. The seven passengers who were on board had already evacuated and were safely on a nearby lifeboat. Rescuers and passengers then quickly left the area, as the boat sank 2,500 feet to the ocean’s floor. The cause of the accident was not shared; however, according to Boat International , sources claimed that the ship hit an unknown object floating near the center of the hull.

Cujo was already halfway underwater when rescuers arrived.

The impressive yacht was originally launched in 1972, commissioned by its first owner John von Neumann. According to Robb Report, Von Neumann hired Italian shipyard Baglietto to build him a boat that was “faster than any other motoryacht on the water.” During its maiden voyage, Cujo had largely achieved this goal thanks to its twin 54-liter V-18 turbo diesel engines, which provided 2,700 horsepower and allowed it to easily hit 46 miles per hour. Von Neumann eventually sold the boat to arms dealer Adnan Khashoggi, who later passed the boat to Dodi Fayed, his nephew.

top of boat seen as it sinks into the ocean

At one point, the vessel was among the fastest in the world.

Though Princess Diana was among the most notable guests onboard—largely fueled by vicious tabloid coverage—other high-profile passengers hosted by Fayed included Clint Eastwood, Tony Curtis, Bruce Willis, and Brooke Shields. In addition to jaunts on Cujo, the sensationalized couple also spent time on superyacht Jonikal , which most recently sold in June of 2023. Following the passing of Di and Fayed, Cujo fell into disrepair and decommissioned in 1999. After many years in storage, Fayed’s cousin Moody Al-Fayed purchased the vessel and brought it back to life. He later sold the boat to Simon Kidston, a British car collector and restorer and the last-reported owner of the vessel.

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Yacht used by Princess Diana and lover Dodi Fayed on final summer holiday sinks

Seven people on board were rescued following the accident off the coast of france, article bookmarked.

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The world-famous celebrity yacht used by Princess Diana on her final summer holiday in France has sunk to the bottom of the sea.

Cujo, once also a favourite of Hollywood superstars, disappeared below the Mediterranean waves after hitting an unidentified object off Beaulieu-sur-Mer, on the French Riviera, on Saturday.

Seven people on board were rescued following the accident, but the boat ended up at a depth of almost 2500m around 18 nautical miles off the coast.

“The skipper of the Cujo issued a Mayday,” said one officer. “His ship was sinking due to a leak.

Cujo, once also a favourite of Hollywood superstars, disappeared below the Mediterranean waves

“Rescue boats were sent from Antibes, and, after making sure everyone was safe, gendarmes detected a significant water leak at the level of the starboard front hull.

“Her owner had activated the pumps and kept the engines running, but this didn’t stop the boat sinking.”

Reports about Cujo dominated the media in August 1997, when it was owned by Diana’s boyfriend, Dodi Al-Fayed

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All of those on board, including the Cujo‘s Italian owner, were placed in a rescue boat, and taken back to shore uninjured.

Reports about Cujo - an Indian word that means ‘Unstoppable Force’ - dominated the media in August 1997, when it was owned by Diana’s boyfriend, Dodi Al-Fayed.

Salvage launches arrived, but could not save the boat sinking

The multi-millionaire film producer had spent some £1m refitting the boat, and wooed Diana on board, as the world’s media looked on.

This was shortly before the couple died in a car crash in central Paris caused by their drunk driver.

All of those on board, including the Cujo‘s Italian owner, were placed in a rescue boat

That summer, Diana was also photographed on Sokar, the yacht then owned by Al-Fayed’s father, retail billionaire Mohamed Al-Fayed.

Cujo was built in Italy in 1972 for businessman John von Neumann after he told Italy’s Baglietto shipyard that he wanted the world’s fastest motor yacht.

She was fitted with two 18-cylinder engines that ensured she had a top speed of 42 knots.

Van Neumann then sold the boat to the son of Adnan Khashoggi, the world’s richest arms dealer, and he sold her on to his cousin, Dodi Al-Fayed.

The memorial to Princess Diana and Dodi Fayad is seen in Harrods department store, December 2003

Cujo was frequently moored off St Tropez, the most famous celebrity hotspot on the Riviera, with celebrity guests including Clint Eastwood, Tony Curtis and Bruce Willis on board.

Following the death of Princess Diana and Mr Al-Fayed, Cujo fell into disrepair.

She was decommissioned in 1999, and spent years in storage, before being restored by new owners.

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Princess Diana & Dodi Al-Fayed's Love Yacht 'Cujo' Meets Grim Fate Nearly 26 Years After Their Deaths

Princess Diana's relationship with Dodi Al-Fayed has always been met with a great deal of interest and curiosity from royal watchers around the globe. After Diana's divorce from then-Prince Charles , she and Al-Fayed began dating in 1997, the year they both tragically died.

Diana and Al-Fayed would spend the summer months together, vacationing in the South of France just days before a car crash in Paris would claim their lives. According to the Daily Mail , the couple spent time on Dodi's luxury yacht named "Cujo." The boat ended up being a playground for the lovers, who were often photographed by paparazzi as they continued getting to know one another.

Flash forward to 2023, and Cujo is no more. The yacht sunk to the bottom of the ocean on the French Riviera after hitting an object, The Times of London reports. The incident was considered an emergency and a rescue for the seven people onboard ensued.

All 7 people on 'Cujo' were rescued

On July 29, a call was made by the boat's skipper about Cujo taking on water, local police said (via the Daily Mail). Thankfully, all seven people on board were rescued safely and were not harmed, despite the scary situation. Now, reports indicate that the boat is almost 8,000 feet below the surface of the ocean, resting in the Mediterranean Sea just about 18 miles off the coast of Nice, France.

The yacht was built in Italy in 1972. Over the years, many celebrity guests, such as Clint Eastwood and Bruce Willis, have spent time on Cujo on the French Riviera.

And if you're wondering how Dodi Al-Fayed may have been able to afford such a pricey toy, his father Mohamed Al-Fayed is a billionaire who once owned Harrods Department Store. Dodi also worked as an executive producer on a number of movies during his time. He and Princess Diana both loved being on the ocean and spent much time onboard Cujo and Al-Fayed's father's yacht, "Jonikal." Now, however, one of the only remaining pieces of their love story has been lost to the depths.

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Over 20 years after Princess Diana’s tragic death, the scene of one of her final photos has now met its own demise.

A yacht that Princess Diana used as her so-called “love boat” with Dodi Al-Fayed has sunk.

Called Cujo, the yacht reportedly developed a hole after it struck an unidentified object off Beaulieu-sur-Mer on the French Riviera, according to the Times of London .

Cujo’s owner is an Italian with a home on the Riviera.

Seven people were on board at the time of the accident, but they were rescued and unharmed.

The yacht sank and is at the bottom of the Mediterranean.

Princess Diana jet skiing with Prince Harry.

“The skipper of the Cujo issued a mayday,” local police said , according to the Daily Mail. “His ship was sinking due to a leak. Rescue boats were sent from Antibes and, after making sure everyone was safe, gendarmes detected a significant water leak at the level of the starboard front hull. Her owner had activated the pumps and kept the engines running, but this didn’t stop the boat sinking.”

Cujo became famous in 1997 when Diana was photographed on board with her millionaire film producer boyfriend, Fayed – just a few weeks before their fatal car crash in Paris on Aug. 31, 1997.

The couple’s photos on the luxury boat were their first pictures together. Those photos sparked the tabloid furor around Diana and Fayed.

A photo of Diana on the boat was one of the final images taken before her death at 36.

According to the Times of London, the yacht was built in Italy in 1972 for John von Neumann, a businessman who made his fortune selling Porsche and Volkswagen cars. After von Neumann, Cujo was then owned by the son of arms dealer Adnan Khashoggi, before it ended up in the hands of his cousin, Fayed.

Princess Diana and Dodi aboard a small yacht.

Fayed moored the yacht off St-Tropez, where he hosted the rich and famous – such as Brooke Shields , Clint Eastwood, and Diana.

After Fayed’s death, the yacht fell into disrepair and sold at auction to its current owner for $250,000 in 2020.

French reports imply that Cujo was not in good condition at the time it sank, and regularly had maintenance problems.

Diana’s death will controversially be depicted in the sixth and final season of Netflix’s hit royal drama, “The Crown.” Khalid Abdalla will play Fayed . The season premiere is slated for sometime this fall.

Prince William and Kate Middleton’s first meeting and early days will also be depicted.

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Princess Diana and Dodi Al-Fayed’s ‘love boat’ has finally sunk

Over twenty years after Princess Diana’s tragic death, the scene of one of her final photos has now met its own demise.

A yacht that Princess Diana used as her so-called “love boat” with Dodi Al-Fayed has sunk.

Called Cujo, the yacht reportedly developed a hole after it struck an unidentified object off Beaulieu-sur-Mer on the French Riviera, according to The Times of London .

Cujo’s current owner is an Italian with a home on the French Riviera.

Seven people were onboard at the time of the accident, but they were rescued and got away unharmed.

The yacht sank, however, and is now sitting at the bottom of the Mediterranean, at a depth of at least 2,430 meters (8, 200 feet).

“The skipper of the Cujo issued a Mayday,” local police said , according to The Daily Mail. “His ship was sinking due to a leak. Rescue boats were sent from Antibes and, after making sure everyone was safe, gendarmes detected a significant water leak at the level of the starboard front hull. Her owner had activated the pumps and kept the engines running, but this didn’t stop the boat sinking.”

Cujo first became famous in the summer of 1997 when Diana was photographed onboard with her millionaire film producer boyfriend, Fayed – just a few weeks before their tragic and fatal car crash in Paris on Aug. 31, 1997, while they were being pursued by paparazzi.

The couple’s photos on the luxury boat were their first pictures together. Those photos sparked the tabloid furor around Princess Diana and Fayed, who met their tragic demise being chased by paparazzi.

A photo of Princess Diana aboard the boat was one of the final images taken before her death at age 36.

According to The Times of London, the yacht was first built in Italy in 1972 for John von Neumann, a businessman who made his fortune selling Porsche and Volkswagen cars. Von Neumann reportedly wanted the world’s fastest yacht.

Cujo was able to travel 40 knots per hour.

After von Neumann, Cujo was then owned by the son of arms dealer Adnan Khashoggi, before it ended up in the hands of his cousin, Dodi Al Fayed.

Fayed moored the yacht off St Tropez, where he reportedly hosted the rich and famous – such as Brooke Shields , Clint Eastwood, and ultimately, the Princess of Wales.

After Fayed’s death at age 42 with Princess Diana in Paris, the yacht fell into disrepair and sold at auction to its current Italian owner for $250,000 in 2020.

French reports imply that Cujo was not in good condition at the time that it sank, and regularly had maintenance problems.

Princess Diana’s death will controversially be depicted in the sixth and final season of Netflix’s hit royal drama, “The Crown.” Actor Khalid Abdalla will play Fayed . The season premiere is slated for sometime this fall.

Prince William and Kate Middleton’s first meeting and early days will also be depicted.

But it remains to be seen whether Cujo will live on onscreen.

Princess Diana and Dodi Al-Fayed’s ‘love boat’ has finally sunk

file photo dodi al fayed and diana, princess of wales

Inside the Superyacht Princess Diana and Dodi Al-Fayed Spent Their Final Vacation On

A look at the vessel that saw the beloved royal’s last vacation.

It was hot gossip, this adventure that the princess took abroad after having finalized her divorce from then Prince Charles less than a year before—something that was hinted at at the end of season 5 of The Crown as Queen Elizabeth is pressed to endorse a vacation a-sea with Fayed and her grandchildren, Prince Harry and Prince William. Diana was famously photographed sitting on the passerelle of this boat. Years later, in real life, Harry described the trip in his memoir, Spare , with fond recollection. “Everything about that trip to St. Tropez was heaven,” he wrote.

While the series was filmed on a lookalike super yacht in Mallorca , the real boat was equally lavish. The 208-foot ship was commissioned by Dodi’s father, former Harrods owner Mohamed Al-Fayed, who brought on naval architect Vincenzo Ruggiero to design it in the late 1980s. It was built by Italian shipyard Codecasa and launched in 1990. The steel and aluminum super yacht boasted nine staterooms that altogether accommodate up to 18 people, in addition to a crew of 26. Amenities included a Jacuzzi, swim platform, sun deck, formal dining room, a bar, and office space. Mohamed had named the yacht Jonikal (it has subsequently been called Sokar and is currently called Bash ) .

Shortly after Diana’s and Dodi’s deaths, Mohamed gave the interior a redesign by H2 Yacht Design and a refit that included extending the hull. He attempted to sell the yacht on a number of occasions, ultimately parting with it in 2014 to an anonymous buyer. The new owner carried out further work, including machinery upgrades, a repaint, and fresh teak decks. In 2021, the yacht came into the hands of Bassim Haidar , the founder of Intercomm and GMT, who gave it a further $9.7 million refit after a reported bridge deck fire—and its current name Bash . It’s now back to turn-key condition after an 18-month remodel completed in April 2023 by marine engineering and management company Capax and boat interior company Bobic Yacht Interiors . It features a beauty salon, massage area, high-tech gym, and a spacious main salon.

In May, Robb Report reported that Bash is available for charter in the Mediterranean starting at $278,000 per week, plus expenses. In June, Haidar listed Bash for $16.8 million, according to Boat International .

There was a second motor yacht named Cujo, which Diana and Fayed also took earlier that summer. It was built in Italy in 1972 for John von Neumann, who commissioned the Italian Baglietto shipyard to build the world's fastest motor yacht. She was given two 18-cylinder engines that allowed it to go as fast as 42 knots. Fayed had bought the boat from his cousin, Saudi businessman and arms dealer Adnan Khashoggi. In August, the Mediterranean Sea reclaimed Cujo, as the 62-foot artifact of Diana’s life hit an unidentified object off Beaulieu-sur-Mer on July 29 and sprang a leak, Vanity Fair reported. The seven people on board were rescued by teams from Antibes and safely returned to shore.

An imitation of Jonikal will feature in The Crown season 6, a set that was intended to visually illuminate the tension between Diana and the royal family. “Diana’s south of France adventure was bright and lovely pastel colors, and her world even in Kensington Palace is optimistic and warm, compared to the queen’s residence at Balmoral, which is very static, with gloomy light and drab colors,” set decorator Alison Harvey tells ELLE DECOR.

Filming on the yacht off the island of Mallorca (a St. Tropez stand-in) required many moving parts with few do-overs. “We brought in the drapes, the artwork, many furnishings,” Harvey explains. “Everything was set in the early ’90s, so we thought hard about the colors and textures that we brought in.” Harvey’s team had just half a day to dress the yacht, and then it was off to sea. “There was no getting on or off after that,” Harvey says, adding that they were “subsumed by the logistics of what we had to achieve and the time we had to do it.”

However painstaking the process, the yacht scenes will offer an intriguing context—though largely fictitious—for the iconic photographs that exist of those final weeks leading up to Diana’s death.

Rachel Silva, the Assistant Digital Editor at ELLE DECOR, covers design, architecture, trends, and anything to do with haute couture. She has previously written for Time, The Wall Street Journal, and Citywire.

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The True Story of Princess Diana's Vacation on Mohamed Al Fayed's Yacht in Saint Tropez

The trip features in the final season of The Crown .

diana, princess of wales yacht saint tropez

"Everything about that trip to St. Tropez was heaven," Prince Harry shared about the vacation he and Prince William joined his mother for aboard the vessel in his memoir, Spare . Here, some of the most memorable photos of Princess Diana with her sons and the Fayeds on the Jonikal in July 1997.

Princess Diana on board the Jonikal yacht, where she first got to know Dodi better.

Princess Diana was friendly with Mohamed Al Fayed, who had been in royal-adjacent circles for some time due to his ownership of Harrods department store.

Diana brought her two sons, Prince William (head down, center) and Prince Harry (right), on vacation with her.

"We'd been with Mummy weeks earlier when she first met him, in St. Tropez," Harry writes in Spare —the 'him' refers to Dodi. "We were having a grand time, just the three of us, staying at some old gent's villa."

At the time, Diana had recently broken up with British Pakistani heart surgeon Dr. Hasnat Khan, who could not handle the media attention surrounding their relationship. Her friends later shared that they believed her fling with Dodi was to make Hasnat jealous.

Diana pictured with her bodyguard, Trevor Rees-Jones, who would later be the sole survivor of the crash that killed Princess Diana and Dodi.

Princess Diana waved to Trevor ashore in Saint-Tropez.

The Princess looked happy to be spending time with her sons.

Harry writes, "There was much laughter, horseplay, the norm whenever Mummy and Willy and I were together, though even more so on that holiday. Everything about that trip to St. Tropez was heaven. The weather was sublime, the food was tasty, Mummy was smiling."

Paparazzi snapped Diana giving her youngest, Prince Harry, a big hug.

Diana, ever the style icon, had some great swimwear moments on this vacation, including this neon set.

She also rocked a leopard-print one piece.

Princess Diana was beginning to navigate her not-quite-royal, but definitely not normal, life post her divorce from Prince Charles .

At the time, Dodi was reportedly dating American model Kelly Fisher —and she said that she was actually on the yacht in Saint Tropez with the Fayeds and Princess Diana.

Princess Diana made sure the vacation was fun for her sons; here, she rode on a jet ski with Prince Harry.

"Best of all," Harry remembers in Spare, "there were jet skis. Whose were they? Don't know. But I vividly remember Willy and me riding them out to the deepest part of the channel, circling while waiting for the big ferries to come. We used their massive wakes as ramps to get airborne. I'm not sure how we weren't killed"

Wearing life jackets, the royal mother-son duo zoomed around in the water together.

Princess Diana smiled as she swam in the sea off the coast of France.

Emily Burack (she/her) is the Senior News Editor for Town & Country, where she covers entertainment, culture, the royals, and a range of other subjects. Before joining T&C, she was the deputy managing editor at Hey Alma , a Jewish culture site. Follow her @emburack on Twitter and Instagram .

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How did Cujo sink? Princess Diana and Dodi Al Fayed's luxury love yacht plunges 8,200 feet into the Mediterranean

FRENCH RIVIERA, FRANCE: The luxurious yacht Princess Diana and her alleged partner Dodi Al-Fayed were seen together on during their final summer sank to the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea on Saturday. Cujo, also known as the "love boat" of Diana and Dodi, has sunk after hitting an unidentified object. Following the disaster, seven of the passengers were saved, but the boat sank to a depth of about 8,200 feet (2,500 meters), per local authorities. According to Daily Mail , the event took place off the southern French coast of Beaulieu-sur-Mer on July 29.

Aside from Princess Diana, Cujo has encountered many other famous people in its 50-year history. Dodi Fayed, a film producer and the son of business magnate Mohammed Fayed, utilized it often to host events. Actors including Tony Curtis, Clint Eastwood, Brooke Shields, and Bruce Willis were among those who joined Dodi on the boat. Diana and Dodi were first spotted together in St Tropez in the summer of 1997, which led to suspicions that they were dating.

Also Read : 5 things Season 6 of 'The Crown' got wrong

How did Cujo sink?

The place where Princess Diana took one of her last shots, Cujo, has now perished, more than 20 years after her tragic death. The owner of Cujo is an Italian who lives on the Riviera. After colliding with an unknown object around 18 miles off the French Riviera town of Beaulieu-sur-Mer, Cujo disappeared beneath the Mediterranean's waves.

According to the Daily Mail, local police claimed that "the skipper of the Cujo issued a mayday. His ship was sinking due to a leak. Rescue boats were sent from Antibes and, after making sure everyone was safe, gendarmes detected a significant water leak at the level of the starboard front hull. Her owner had activated the pumps and kept the engines running, but this didn’t stop the boat sinking."

Also Read : Elizabeth Debicki opens up about playing Princess Diana in 'The Crown', says she 'learned a lot'

The memorial to Princess Diana and Dodi Fayad is seen in Harrods department store December 18, 2003 in London. Inquests into the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, and Dodi Fayad are to be held on January 6, 2004 in London and Surrey, England.

Cujo's history

Also Read : How tall was Princess Diana? Troubled royal restricted her heels to two inches due to King Charles' ego

According to The Independent, the ancient word "Cujo" means "unstoppable force." Cujo was built in Italy in 1972 for entrepreneur John von Neumann, who told Italy's Baglietto shipyard that he wished for the world's fastest motor yacht. Cujo had two 18-cylinder engines installed, allowing her to reach a top speed of 42 knots. Eventually, the world's richest armaments dealer Adnan Khashoggi's son purchased the boat from Neumann after which he sold it to Dodi Fayed, his cousin.

Diana and her producer boyfriend Dodi were photographed on board Cujo in 1997, merely a few weeks before their deadly car accident in Paris on August 31, making Cujo infamous. The couple's first photographs together taken on the opulent boat sparked a tabloid hysteria that eventually led to the princess' death. Cujo deteriorated after the deaths of Princes Diana and Dodi and was purchased by its current owner for $250,000 at auction in 2020. According to French accounts, Cujo had ongoing maintenance issues and was not in excellent shape when it sank, as per New York Post.

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Incredible 80ft superyacht Cujo used by Princess Diana in her final summer with Dodi Fayed sinks after crash in Med

Juliana Cruz Lima
Published : 5:37 ET, Aug 3 2023
Updated : 8:37 ET, Aug 3 2023

THE yacht used by Princess Diana during her last summer has sunk in the Mediterranean.

Cujo, which once belonged to Dodi Al-Fayed, was reportedly holed after hitting an unidentified object off Beaulieu-sur-Mer, on the French Riviera.

The yacht used by Princess Diana during her last summer sunk in the Mediterranean

All seven passengers were rescued uninjured and safely evacuated on a life raft.

But the 80ft boat ended up at a depth of at least 2,430 metres despite salvage attempts.

Cujo's latest owner was at the helm when the accident happened on July 29.

The Italian , who owns a home in the French Riviera, tried and failed to pump out the water, local media reports.

A second attempt was made by a tugboat dispatched to the scene, to no avail.

Emergency services were called at around 12.30pm, and 45 minutes later, a rescue boat arrived at the scene to find the yacht's bow partially submerged with some cabins already flooded.

The superyacht hit the headlines in the summer of 1997, when the Princess of Wales was photographed aboard with Al-Fayed.

Weeks later, on August 31, the pair died in a crash in Paris when their car hit a pillar in the Alma tunnel while fleeing paparazzi.

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After their death, Cujo fell into disrepair before it was restored by a member of the late owner’s family at a cost of €800,000 (£689,000).

The motor yacht had been moored in the port of Beaulieu-sur-Mer but was no longer in pristine condition.

“It had regular maintenance problems,” local paper Nice Matin reported.

Le Figaro also reported it had had 7,000 litres of fuel on board, but added that there was little risk of significant pollution.

In 2020, the superyacht was auctioned and bought by a wealthy Italian family for £171,000.

Cujo was built in Italy in 1972 for John von Neumann, a businessman who had made a fortune selling Porsche and Volkswagen cars in the US .

Von Neumann told Italy’s Baglietto yard that he wanted the world’s fastest yacht, which was achieved with two diesel turbo engines delivering a top speed of 40 knots.

The businessman kept it for a few years before selling it to the son of Adnan Khashoggi, the arms dealer said in the 1980s to be the world’s richest man. He in turn sold it to Al-Fayed, his cousin.

In the 1990s, Cujo became a star-studded yacht, as Al-Fayed invited the likes of Brooke Shields, Clint Eastwood , Tony Curtis and Bruce Willis on board.

The 80ft boat reportedly crashed into an unknown object off the French Riviera

Royal Family
Princess Diana

Lady Diana’s last vacation on Dodi Al Fayed’s two superyachts

26 years after Lady Diana’s death, Dodi Al Fayed’s two superyachts, the Cujo and the Jonikal, both suffered tragic fates. The Princess of Wales had spent her last summer aboard both vessels, on the shores of the Riviera.

The tragedy has come full circle. The Cujo , the yacht that hosted Diana and Dodi Al-Fayed’s love affair, sank off Beaulieu-sur-Mer on the Côte d’Azur on Saturday, July 29 . The boat, measuring around twenty meters in length, is said to have suffered damage to its hull, causing it to sink.

According to a statement shared on Facebook by the Alpes-Maritimes Gendarmes, a division of the French army, a distress call was made by passengers at around 12:30 local time on July 29. Less than an hour after the call, a rescue team arrived on the scene to find that the bow of the vessel was partially submerged.

“The yacht’s cabins were already flooded, and only a few suitcases located in the galley and on deck could be recovered by the gendarmes,” reads the press release.

The seven occupants on board had already been evacuated and were safely aboard a nearby lifeboat. Rescue crews and passengers then quickly left the area, while the boat sank to a depth of 2,500 feet on the ocean floor.

Last summer

The remarkable yacht had been launched in 1972 , at the request of her first owner, John von Neumann . According to the Robb Report, Von Neumann commissioned the Italian shipyard Baglietto to design a vessel “faster than any other motoryacht at sea”. Subsequently, Von Neumann sold the boat to arms dealer Adnan Khashoggi , who then passed it on to his nephew, Dodi Al-Fayed.

Although Princess Diana was one of the most notable guests on board, the seductive and wealthy Dodi Al-Fayed also welcomed other celebrities on board, such as Clint Eastwood, Tony Curtis, Bruce Willis and Brooke Shields . Lady Diana herself spent her last summer on board. The rest of the story is now common knowledge. On August 30 , the 36-year-old princess and Dodi Al-Fayed set sail for Paris. That evening, pursued by photographers through the streets of the capital, the Mercedes S280 in which they were travelling collided with a pillar in the Pont de l’Alma tunnel, at a speed of 110 km/h.

After the deaths of Lady Di and Dodi, the Cujo fell into a state of decrepitude and was withdrawn from service in 1999 . After several years in storage, Dodi’s cousin Moody Al-Fayed purchased the vessel and brought it back to life. He then sold it to Simon Kidston, a British car collector and restorer, who became the boat’s last registered owner.

Excursions on the Jonikal

The last summer shared by Princess Diana and Dodi Al-Fayed has been interpreted in many ways: a fiery love affair, a false publicity stunt, a temporary fling, a maneuver to exasperate another suitor, or the beginning of a lifelong commitment…

But in addition to summer escapades aboard Cujo, this sensational couple also spent time on the superyacht Jonikal . Which was sold in June 2023 .

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Renamed “ Bash “, this vessel was designed in the 1980s by architect Vincenzo Ruggiero and built by superyacht shipyard Codecasa before being launched in 1990. The yacht can accommodate up to 18 guests in nine cabins, not including accommodation for 26 crew members. Among her many striking features, the Bash offers a Jacuzzi, a swimming platform, a sun deck, a formal dining room, a main salon, a bar and even a workspace. With its dark woodwork and coffered ceilings, the interior recalls the Arts and Crafts style of the early 20th century.

Equipped with Wärtsilä engines, the yacht can reach a cruising speed of 15 knots and a top speed of 20 knots. Although the exact sale price has not yet been disclosed, when last listed for sale, the yacht was listed at $10 million .

So, for their last summer together, Diana and Dodi spent time on the Riviera coast, between Cujo and Jonikal. A heavenly setting for the princess’s “summer of freedom”, as the media reported at the time. A summer that was also her last.

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Incredible 80ft superyacht Cujo used by Princess Diana in her final summer with Dodi Fayed sinks after crash in Med

Juliana Cruz Lima
Published : 10:37, 3 Aug 2023
Updated : 13:36, 3 Aug 2023

THE yacht used by Princess Diana during her last summer has sunk in the Mediterranean.

Cujo, which once belonged to Dodi Al-Fayed , was reportedly holed after hitting an unidentified object off Beaulieu-sur-Mer, on the French Riviera .

All seven passengers were rescued uninjured and safely evacuated on a life raft.

But the 80ft boat ended up at a depth of at least 2,430 metres despite salvage attempts.

Cujo's latest owner was at the helm when the accident happened on July 29.

The Italian , who owns a home in the French Riviera, tried and failed to pump out the water, local media reports.

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A second attempt was made by a tugboat dispatched to the scene, to no avail.

Emergency services were called at around 12.30pm, and 45 minutes later, a rescue boat arrived at the scene to find the yacht's bow partially submerged with some cabins already flooded.

The superyacht hit the headlines in the summer of 1997, when the Princess of Wales was photographed aboard with Al-Fayed.

Weeks later, on August 31, the pair died in a crash in Paris when their car hit a pillar in the Alma tunnel while fleeing paparazzi.

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