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Princess Diana’s Former Yacht That She Vacationed on with Boyfriend Dodi Fayed Sinks in France

All seven passengers were rescued after the superyacht, dubbed Cujo, sank beneath the Mediterranean Sea on July 29

Natalia Senanayake is an Editorial Assistant, Lifestyle at PEOPLE. She covers all things travel and home, from celebrities' luxury mansions to breaking travel news.

Best Image/BACKGRID; Gendarmerie des Alpes-Maritimes

Princess Diana ’s former yacht that she enjoyed her last summer vacation on before her death has sunk off the coast of France, according to The Independent . 

The boat, dubbed Cujo , was frequented by the late princess and her boyfriend at the time, Dodi Fayed , in the summer of 1997 before they both died in a car crash in late August that year. 

All seven passengers on board were rescued in time before the vessel sank below the Mediterranean Sea on Saturday, July 29. An officer said that the “ship was sinking due to a leak” after it allegedly hit an unidentified object on the French Riviera, The Independent reports. 

Gendarmerie des Alpes-Maritimes

Gendarmerie des Alpes-Maritimes, a branch of the French military, released a statement addressing the incident on their official Facebook page . They state 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. 

When they arrived at the scene 45 minutes later, the ship was already sinking and the cabins had begun to flood. The seven passengers were already transferred to a life raft and examined for injuries before being taken back to shore. 

Princess Diana and Fayed enjoyed spending time together aboard the 20-meter superyacht that first launched in 1972, especially around the Italian Riviera, according to Boat International . 

The pair first met at a polo match in 1986 in which Fayed was playing against Diana’s then-husband, Prince Charles . Diana and Fayed didn’t connect romantically until nearly 10 years later when Fayed’s father, Mohamed al Fayed, invited her and her two sons, Prince William and Prince Harry , to vacation at their villa in St. Tropez, France.  

Before Diana’s romance with the film producer began to develop, the Prince and Princess of Wales had finalized their divorce in August 1996. Diana announced that she agreed to her husband's request for divorce earlier that year in February. 

A representative of the princess released a statement at the time: "The Princess of Wales has agreed to Prince Charles's request for a divorce. The Princess will continue to be involved in all decisions relating to the children and will remain at Kensington Palace with offices in St. James's Palace . The Princess of Wales will retain the title and be known as Diana, Princess of Wales."

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Diana died at the age of 36 after going into cardiac arrest from internal injuries she sustained during a high-speed car crash in Paris, France . Dodi and the car’s driver, Henri Paul, were killed instantly in the fatal accident. 

Reports indicate the car was traveling at 121 mph in a narrow tunnel along the Seine River in an effort to escape paparazzi tailing them on motorcycles. It was also reported that Paul was legally drunk when the crash occurred.

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Party Yacht Where Princess Diana Spent Her Final Vacation Sinks in France

By Kase Wickman

One more artifact from the late Princess Diana’s life is no more: The Cujo , the superyacht where she and boyfriend Dodi Fayed spent many sunny days, including their final summer vacation before they both died in a car crash in August 1997, has sunk in the French Riviera, according to French authorities .

Seven passengers were rescued from the boat on the afternoon of July 29 after it struck an unidentified object off Beaulieu-sur-Mer and struck a leak that would prove to be the end of its voyages. By the time the Antibes Nautical Brigade, part of the French military’s Gendarmerie des Alpes-Maritimes, responded to the distress call about 45 minutes later, all seven passengers had been evacuated to a life raft and the ship had started sinking.

The yacht was 20 meters long, and originally launched in 1972. According to BOAT International , Austrian Jon von Neumann, who introduced the Porsche brand to the United States, originally commissioned the boat and asked that it be built to break speed records.

After Neumann, the Cujo was owned by the family of Saudi arms dealer Adnan Khashoggi , before coming into Fayed’s care, according to the New York Post . In addition to Diana, Fayed hosted celebrities like Brooke Shields, Bruce Willis , and Clint Eastwood on the yacht in the late ‘90s. According to the Robb Report, later owner Simon Kidston sold the boat to “a young member of a prominent Italian business family” in 2021.

Paparazzi swarmed Diana and Fayed’s summer 1997 adventures onboard the Cujo and the Jonikal , another yacht on which the couple spent time sailing in St. Tropez, including just days before their death. They were hot gossip, with Diana having finalized her divorce from then-prince Charles less than a year before. At the tail end of season five of The Crown on Netflix, Diana is invited to vacation asea with Fayed with her children, Prince Harry and Prince William , a trip that did happen in real life.

Harry recounted the July 1997 jaunt in his memoir, Spare . “Everything about that trip to St. Tropez was heaven,” he wrote. 

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

By Katherine McLaughlin

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. 

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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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. 

“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. 

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 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 Gendarmerie des Alpes-Maritimes added that they would remain in the area to monitor pollution because the yacht sank with almost 7,000 liters of diesel in its tanks.

When Insider reached out to the Gendarmerie des Alpes-Maritimes for direct confirmation of the boat's identity, the organization told Insider "to search via Google."

Cujo made international headlines in 1997 when Princess Diana was photographed onboard with its then-owner Fayed, per Robb Report .

That summer, Princess Diana was also photographed onboard another yacht owned by Fayed's father, the Jonikal — which was subsequently renamed Sokar, per The Times.

Mere weeks later, the two of them died in a car crash in Paris while trying to escape the paparazzi.

Following their deaths, Cujo fell into disrepair and was decommissioned in 1999, per Robb Report. After a few years in storage, Fayed's cousin, Moody Al-Fayed, spent over $1 million restoring the boat before he sold it to a British car collector Simon Kidston for €160,000, or $175,400.

Kidston subsequently sold the boat to its current owner in 2021, he told Robb Report.

"A young member of a prominent Italian business family—he's 30 years old—had seen Cujoin Lavagna, fallen in love with her and asked if she was for sale," Kidston told Robb Report.

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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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It had previously been named Jonikal.

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

She was fitted with two 18-cylinder engines giving her a top speed of 42 knots.

Van Neumann then sold the boat to the son of Saudi businessman and arms dealer Adnan Khashoggi and he sold her on to his cousin, al Fayed.

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

Following the death of Diana and Al-Fayed in central Paris on 31 August 1997, Cujo fell into disrepair.

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

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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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News | World

World famous yacht that Princess Diana had final summer holiday on sinks

The world-famous celebrity yacht enjoyed by Princess Diana on her final summer holiday in the south of 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 (8200ft), said local police.

“The skipper of the Cujo issued a Mayday,” said one officer. “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.”

Salvage launches also arrived, but could not save the boat sinking, around 18 nautical miles off the coast.

All of those on board, including the Cujo’s Italian owner, were placed in a rescue boat, and taken back to shore without injury.

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.

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

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

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 motoryacht.

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

Following the death of Princes 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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The yacht princess diana took on her final vacation with dodi fayed has a very sad ending.

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Princess Diana and Fayed met in 1986 at one of Prince Charles’ polo matches, they reconnected 11 years later, after she was divorced . That 1997 summer was their final vacation, shortly before they were tragically killed by their drunk chauffeur in Paris during a high-speed car chase with the paparazzi. It’s just another sad chapter in the royal family history, and even decades later, the loss of the yacht just adds to that dark time.

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Princess Diana and Dodi Fayed ‘Love Boat’ Sinks to the Bottom of the Sea

The yacht that propelled Diana and Dodi’s relationship into the headlines—and arguably set in motion the sequence of events that led to her death—has sunk in the Mediterranean.

Royalist Correspondent

Michel Dufour/WireImage/ Getty Images

It was once an iconic part of the Princess Diana story, but the yacht on which Diana spent her final summer partying with Dodi Fayed now lies at the bottom of the Mediterranean.

The boat, Cujo , sank after apparently hitting a mystery object off the coast of Beaulieu-sur-Mer in the South of France, the Times of London reported.

Now resting in a watery grave some 7,000 feet beneath the surface, Cujo was once a byword for glamor when it was the floating playground of the film producer and playboy Dodi Fayed, the son of the billionaire Harrods owner Mohammed Fayed.

It was on board Cujo, off the coast of St. Tropez in the summer of 1997, that Dodi and Diana were first photographed together. The pictures on board sparked tabloid rumors that they were a couple, which built into “love boat” hysteria as the summer progressed.

“St. Trop” was swiftly swarmed by an army of paparazzi photographers and at the end of August, the couple decamped to the Fayed-owned Ritz hotel in Paris. The paps followed and it was from here that the couple set off on their fateful last journey in a speeding car driven by a drunk chauffeur, which then crashed in an underpass , killing Diana, Dodi, and their driver, Henri Paul.

The Times reports on the boat’s “long and glamorous history” saying that it was built in Italy in 1972 (long before Stephen King would give the same name to a monstrous St. Bernard in one of his novels) for a millionaire Porsche dealer who declared he wanted the world’s fastest yacht. Cujo, which could do 40 knots per hour as a result, was subsequently sold to the son of arms dealer Adnan Khashoggi, reputedly the world’s richest man at the time. He then sold it to his cousin, Dodi Fayed.

Fayed hosted glamorous guests such as Brooke Shields, Clint Eastwood, Tony Curtis, and Bruce Willis on the boat, but, after his death, the Times reports, the yacht fell into disrepair.

It then sold at auction to its current owner, a wealthy Italian, for $250,000, in 2020. The owner was at the helm when the boat sank, the Times said, citing French media reports which also suggested the boat had “regular maintenance problems.”

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Yacht where Princess Diana spent last vacation sunk in French Riviera

Gendarmerie des Alpes-Maritimes

Yacht that once belonged to Princess Diana sank in the Mediterranean Sea on July 29, 2023, authorities said.

Patrick Bar/AP

Diana, Princess of Wales, right, and her companion Dodi Fayed, walk on a pontoon in the French Riviera resort of St. Tropez, Aug. 22, 1997.

Seven people were rescued uninjured after the celebrity-favorite yacht previously owned by Princess Diana’s boyfriend, Dodi Al-Fayed , and occupied by the couple shortly before their August 1997 deaths sunk this weekend in the French Riviera.

Cujo, which now rests about 2500 meters beneath the surface, sunk about 18 nautical miles off the coast Saturday due to “a significant water leak,” an officer told The Independent.

The leak followed the vessel’s collision that day with an unidentified object off Beaulieu-sur-Mer, The Independent reports.

“The skipper of the Cujo issued a Mayday,” said the officer, noting the leak was found after those aboard, including the ship’s owner, were rescued and deemed safe.

The leak was found “at the level of the starboard front hull,” said the officer. “Her owner had activated the pumps and kept the engines running, but this didn’t stop the boat sinking.”

Built in 1972, Al-Fayed took ownership of the vessel after it was sold to his cousin, arms dealer Adnan Khashoggi, according to the outlet. Though restored prior to the sinking, the ship was in storage for years following its 1999 decommission, and could often be found off Saint-Tropez, The Independent reports.

In 1997, the yacht was a media fixture thanks to its proximity to the people’s princess — who could also be found that summer on the Sokar yacht owned at the time by Al-Fayed’s father, Mohamed Al-Fayed. Diana and Dodi Al-Fayed died in a late August collision in Paris .

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Yacht used in Princess Diana's iconic last holiday with Dodi sinks after hitting object in French Riviera

3 August 2023, 13:49 | Updated: 3 August 2023, 14:12

By Chay Quinn

The yacht used by Princess Diana and Dodi-al-Fayed in their final summer has sunk after hitting an object on the French Riviera.

Cujo, which is an Indian word meaning "Unstoppable Force", sank 35 miles off the coast of Beaulieu-sur-Mer, France on July 29 - after a distress call was heeded at 12.30pm local time.

The yacht was made famous after hosting Dodi and Diana just months before their tragic deaths in a Paris car crash on August 30, 1997.

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The couple had been holidaying in the Italian Riviera when a photographer caught them relaxing on board - causing a media storm over the relationship - after her divorce with the now-King Charles.

When the Gendarmerie des Alpes-Maritimes arrived at the scene of the collision 45 minutes after the distress call was made, the bow of the ship was already partially submerged.

The authorities say that the 20-metre-long Baglietto yacht had most likely struck an object with its hull and then began taking on water.

Cabins had already flooded and all seven passengers had been safely evacuated on a life raft.

Cujo sank to a depth of 762 metres with around 7,000 litres of fuel on board.

The Gendarmerie des Alpes-Maritimes said in a statement: “On Saturday, July 29, 2023 at 12:30, the crew of the Antibes Nautibes Nautical Brigade were engaged following a distress call on the VHF network, on a yacht in trouble 35 kilometers off the coast of Beaulieu/Mer.

They responded to a “Serious and urgent situation with at the engine level. The 19-foot boat has 7 people on board.

“After 45 minutes of navigation, the BNC arrives at the site where a sailboat was already present. The distressed yacht was already starting to sink from the front and the 7 shipwrecked are just next to it in a life raft.

“The cabins of the yacht were already flooded, only a few suitcases located in the kitchen and on the deck could be retrieved by the gendarmes.

“The BNC remains in the area, in conjunction with CROSSMED to monitor visible surface pollution, as the yacht sank with nearly 7,000 liters of diesel in its tanks."

The yacht was originally owned by John von Neumann, who brought the Porsche brand to the United States, and after being mothballed following Diana and Dodi's deaths it was briefly owned by an arms dealer.

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Cujo yacht sinks: Infamous 80-foot boat used by Princess Diana and Dodi Fayed in final holiday before their deaths goes down after 'hitting object' in the French Riviera

• Luxury vessel has plunged 8,200ft to the bottom of the Mediterranean
• Cujo sank some 18 miles off Beaulieu-sur-Mer, near Nice, on Saturday
• It was once owned by Prince Diana's millionaire boyfriend, Dodi Fayed

By Peter Allen and Perkin Amalaraj

Published: 05:30 EDT, 3 August 2023 | Updated: 10:16 EDT, 3 August 2023

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The luxury motor-yacht enjoyed by Princess Diana and her boyfriend Dodi Fayed on their final summer holiday in the South of France days before their deaths in August 1997 has sunk to the bottom of the sea. 

Cujo, once a favourite of Hollywood superstars, disappeared below the waves of the Mediterranean after hitting an unidentified object some 18 miles 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 8,200ft (2,500m), local police said.

'The skipper of the Cujo issued a Mayday,' said one officer. '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.'

Salvage launches also arrived, but could not save the boat.

Cujo, a yacht once owned by Princess Diana's millionaire boyfriend Dodi Fayed, is seen sinking off Beaulieu-sur-Mer near Nice

Princess Diana on Cujo's deck as it comes into port in St Tropez in August 1997

The Princess on Cujo, where she spent her final summer holiday before she was killed in a car crash in Paris

Diana with Dodi Fayed during their holiday in the Mediterranean off the South of France

The boat disappears below the waves before coming to rest 8.200ft below the surface

Millionaire Dodi Fayed reportedly spent £1million to refit the boat after he bought it

Cujo disappeared below the waves of the Mediterranean on Saturday after hitting an unidentified object some 18 miles off Beaulieu-sur-Mer on the French Riviera

All those on board, including Cujo's Italian owner, were placed in a rescue boat, and taken back to shore without injury.

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 Fayed.

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

Just days later the couple were killed in a car crash in central Paris caused by their drunk driver.

That summer, Diana was also photographed on Sokar, the yacht then owned by Dodi's father, retail billionaire Mohamed al-Fayed, which was previously named Jonikal.

The pair were seen kissing and embracing on the deck less than a year after Diana and Prince Charles agreed their divorce. 

Diana, Princess of Wales, right, and her companion Dodi Fayed, walk on a pontoon in the French Riviera resort of St Tropez having just disembarked from Cujo on August 22, 1997

Princess Diana on Jonikal, which was owned by Dodi's father, Mohamed al-Fayed

The Princess on board Jonikal, which was later renamed Sokar

Diana, then 36, was spotted strutting on the deck, making the most of the Mediterranean sun and her new romance.

A snap of the royal gazing into the distance from the yacht's diving board was one of the last pictures ever taken of Diana.

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 Fayed.

Dodi Fayed and Diana are seen together aboard Dodi's father's yacht in St Tropez less than a year after Diana and Prince Charles had settled their divorce

The couple being ferried in a speedboat in the waters off St Tropez in July 1997

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

Following the death of Princes Diana and Dodi, Cujo fell into disrepair.

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

The boat was bought for a song in 2020 by luxury vehicle dealer Simon Kidston. The Mail reported that he paid just £138,000

He claimed to have bought the yacht by accident, telling the luxury magazine Robb Report :  'On the day of the auction, I was tied up with clients so asked a colleague to go down and take a look. I told him that if it was going cheaply, put in a bid for a bit of fun.

The boat was reportedly sold in 2020 to an Italian socialite who had fallen in love with it

Luxury car dealer Simon Kidston claims to have bought it at auction for just £138,000

Simon claimed to have bought the boat for a laugh, telling the Robb Report he bid 'for a bit of fun'

'The bidding opened at just 150,000 euros [£129,500].  My colleague bid 160,000 euros.

'Trouble was, no one else bid. The hammer went down and I had bought a boat. The feeling was a mix of excitement tinged with terror.'

He told the magazine that he sold the historic boat to a young Italian socialist in time for his birthday.

'A young member of a prominent Italian business family - he's 30 years old - had seen Cujo, fallen in love with her and asked if she was for sale. He took delivery just in time for his birthday.'

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Yacht Used By Princess Diana And Dodi Fayed Sinks In France

Cujo disappeared in the mediterranean waves after hitting an identified object off beaulieu-sur-mer, on the french riviera..

Princess Diana and her alleged lover Dodi Fayed spent a few weeks aboard Cujo

Before their deaths in the late summer of 1997, Princess Diana and her alleged lover Dodi Fayed spent a few weeks aboard Cujo, a 65-foot superyacht. Now, after decades, the infamous boat has sunk off the coast of France, according to a report by The Independent .

Cujo disappeared in the Mediterranean waves after hitting an identified object off Beaulieu-sur-Mer, on the French Riviera. Seven people on board were rescued following the accident. The yacht was one of the most famous in the world because of its high-profile passengers. Sadly, the yacht is now 7,000 feet under the sea.

According to a Facebook post from the Gendarmerie Des Alpes-Maritimes, a division of the French military, the passengers onboard the yacht called around 12:30 local time on July 29. After an hour, a rescue boat arrived, finding that the yacht was 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 cause of the accident was not revealed but according to Boat International , sources claimed that the ship hit an unknown object floating near the center of the hull.

According to Architectural Digest , the yacht was originally launched in 1972 and was commissioned by its first owner John von Neumann.

The yacht hosted other high-profile passengers including Clint Eastwood, Tony Curtis, Bruce Willis, and Brooke Shields.

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After the death of Princess Diana and Dodi Fayed, the yacht fell into disrepair and decommissioned in 1999. After many years, Fayed's cousin Moody Al-Fayed purchased it and brought it back to life.

It was later sold to Simon Kidston.

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Yacht Princess Diana spent last summer with Dodi on sinks

The yacht Cujo, once owned by Dodi Fayed when he was romancing Princess Diana sank beneath the Mediterranean Sea on Saturday, after colliding with an unexplained item off the French Riviera town of Beaulieu-sur-Mer.

Following the disaster, seven people on board were saved, but the boat wound up at a depth of about 2500 metres, around 18 nautical miles off the shore.

An officer said, '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.'

The late princess and her boyfriend at the time, Dodi Al-Fayed, would frequently visit the yacht in 1997 before they both died in a car crash in late August that year.

Cujo - an Indian name meaning 'Unstoppable Force' - was all over the news in August 1997, when it was owned by Diana's beau, Dodi Al-Fayed.

The Gendarmerie des Alpes-Maritimes, a division of the French military, issued a statement on their official Facebook page addressing the event.

They claim that at 12:30 p.m. local time, the Antibes Nautical Brigade responded to a distress call for a boat 35 kilometres off the coast of Beaulieu-sur-Mer, France.

When they arrived 45 minutes later, the ship was already sinking and the rooms were flooding. The seven passengers had previously been moved to a life raft and were being inspected for injuries before being returned to land.

According to Boat International, Princess Diana and Dodi liked spending time together onboard the 20-meter superyacht, which was initially launched in 1972.

Dodi and Diana initially met at a polo tournament in 1986, when Dodi was playing against Diana's then-husband, Prince Charles.

The Princess of Wales and Dodi didn't fall in love until nearly a decade later, when Fayed's father, Mohamed Al-Fayed, invited her and her two boys, Prince William and Prince Harry, to spend the summer at their estate in St. Tropez, France.

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A migrant boat sinks off the Turkish coast, killing at least 22 people

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A rubber dinghy carrying migrants sank off Turkey’s northern Aegean coast on Friday, killing at least 22 people, officials said.

Turkish coast guard personnel rescued two migrants from the sea off the town of Eceabat in Canakkale province, while two others reached the shore by themselves and notified officials, Gov. Ilhami Aktas said.

It was not clear how many people were on the boat when it sank and the coast guard was continuing to search the area, he said.

Aktas told the state-run Anadolu Agency that seven of the dead were infants or children.

The migrants’ nationalities were not immediately known.

They were trying to reach the Greek island of Samothraki, the private Demiroren News Agency reported.

Eighteen rescue boats, a plane, two helicopters and a drone were involved in the search and rescue mission, the statement said. Ambulances were on standby at a nearby port, Anadolu reported.

Although their numbers have declined in recent years, migrants mostly from the Middle East and Africa often leave Turkey to try to reach Greece or Italy in search of a better life in European countries.

The Turkish coast guard said it caught at least 93 migrants attempting to leave the Turkish coast on boats this week.

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Strange Glow Over Moscow Skies Triggers Panic as Explosions Reported

B right flashes lit up the night sky in southern Moscow in the early hours of Thursday morning, new footage appears to show, following reports of an explosion at an electrical substation on the outskirts of the city.

Video snippets circulating on Russian-language Telegram channels show a series of flashes on the horizon of a cloudy night sky, momentarily turning the sky a number of different colors. In a clip shared by Russian outlet MSK1.ru, smoke can be seen rising from a building during the flashes lighting up the scene.

Newsweek was unable to independently verify the details of the video clips, including when and where it was filmed. The Russian Ministry of Emergency situations has been contacted via email.

Several Russian Telegram accounts said early on Thursday that residents of southern Moscow reported an explosion and a fire breaking out at an electrical substation in the Leninsky district, southeast of central Moscow.

Local authorities in the Leninsky district told Russian outlet RBC that the explosion had happened in the village of Molokovo. "All vital facilities are operating as normal," Leninsky district officials told the outlet.

The incident at the substation in Molokovo took place just before 2 a.m. local time, MSK1.ru reported.

Messages published by the ASTRA Telegram account, run by independent Russian journalists, appear to show residents close to the substation panicking as they question the bright flashes in the sky. One local resident describes seeing the bright light before losing access to electricity, with another calling the incident a "nightmare."

More than 10 villages and towns in the southeast of Moscow lost access to electricity, the ASTRA Telegram account also reported. The town of Lytkarino to the southeast of Moscow, lost electricity, wrote the eastern European-based independent outlet, Meduza.

Outages were reported in the southern Domodedovo area of the city, according to another Russian outlet, as well as power failures in western Moscow. Electricity was then restored to the areas, the Strana.ua outlet reported.

The cause of the reported explosion is not known. A Telegram account aggregating news for the Lytkarino area described the incident as "an ordinary accident at a substation."

The MSK1.ru outlet quoted a local resident who speculated that a drone may have been responsible for the explosion, but no other Russian source reported this as a possible cause.

Ukraine has repeatedly targeted Moscow with long-range aerial drones in recent months, including a dramatic wave of strikes in late May.

On Sunday, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said the region's air defense systems had intercepted an aerial drone over the city of Elektrostal, to the east of Moscow. No damage or casualties were reported, he said.

The previous day, Russian air defenses detected and shot down another drone flying over the Bogorodsky district, northeast of central Moscow, Sobyanin said.

There is currently no evidence that an aerial drone was responsible for the reported overnight explosion at the electrical substation in southern Moscow.

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New & Custom Home Builders in Elektrostal'

Location (1).

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Featured Reviews for New & Custom Home Builders in Elektrostal'

• Reach out to the pro(s) you want, then share your vision to get the ball rolling.
• Request and compare quotes, then hire the Home Builder that perfectly fits your project and budget limits.

Before choosing a Builder for your residential home project in Elektrostal', there are a few important steps to take:

• Define your project: Outline your desired home type, features, and layout. Provide specific details and preferences to help the builder understand your vision.
• Establish a budget: Develop a comprehensive budget, including construction expenses and material costs. Communicate your budgetary constraints to the builder from the beginning.
• Timeline: Share your estimated timeline or desired completion date.
• Site conditions: Inform the builder about any unique site conditions or challenges.
• Local regulations: Make the builder aware of any building regulations or permits required.
• Custom Homes
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Questions to ask a prospective custom home builder in elektrostal', moscow oblast, russia:, business services, connect with us.

Electrostal History and Art Museum

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Electrostal History and Art Museum - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

• (0.19 mi) Elektrostal Hotel
• (1.21 mi) Yakor Hotel
• (1.27 mi) Mini Hotel Banifatsiy
• (1.18 mi) Elemash
• (1.36 mi) Hotel Djaz
• (0.07 mi) Prima Bolshogo
• (0.13 mi) Makecoffee
• (0.25 mi) Amsterdam Moments
• (0.25 mi) Pechka
• (0.26 mi) Mazhor