jonikal yacht sank

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.

More on France

Telegram founder Pavel Durov facing charges over allowing criminal activity on messaging app

Telegram founder Pavel Durov arrested in France

Suspect arrested in French synagogue 'terror attack'

Related Topics:

• Princess Diana

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.

Be the first to get Breaking News

Install the Sky News app for free

Related Topics

To revisit this article, visit My Profile, then View saved stories .

• What Is Cinema?

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

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. 

More Great Stories From Vanity Fair

Live Updates From the 2024 Venice Film Festival

The “Ketamine Queen” and Matthew Perry’s Hollywood

JD Vance, Fresh Off Doughnut-Shop Debacle, Is Booed at Event With Firefighters

September Cover Star Jenna Ortega Is Settling Into Fame

These Are the Fall 2024 TV Shows That We’ll Be Watching

RFK Jr.’s Whale-Beheading Story Gives RFK Jr.’s Bear-Murder Story a Run for Its Money

From the Archive: Murder at Sutton Place

Kase Wickman

Contributing editor.

Find anything you save across the site in your account

Princess Diana’s Yacht Saga: Revisiting the Boats She Vacationed on With Dodi Fayed

In the summer of 1997, Dodi Fayed and Princess Diana’s yacht adventures were the infatuation of the tabloids, paparazzi, and public like no other. The pair were captured sailing around the Mediterranean in July, first with both of their families, then again, just them, at the end of the month, spurring nonstop controversy and speculation. Weeks later the couple was killed in a tragic car accident, prompting even greater interest in the brief but impactful relationship. Nearly 30 years later, understanding just what happened on the high seas remains a notable point of interest for many invested in the Royal Family.

The momentous vacation was recently recreated in season six of Netflix’s The Crown and recounted in Prince Harry’s 2023 memoir, Spare . While conversations about the trip often recount what the couple did—and what Diana wore—it’s worth revisiting the stunning vessels where all the escapades took place. Below, AD surveys the two superyachts Princess Diana and Dodi Fayed used during their prominent summer together.

Jonikal, now known as Isabell Princess of the Sea

The sensationalized couple most famously spent time on Jonikal , a 208-foot superyacht. At the time, Mohamed Al-Fayed, Dodi’s father, owned the boat. Reportedly, he originally invited Diana to the yacht in an attempt to play matchmaker between the People’s Princess and his son.

Princess Diana sunbathes on an orange couch aboard Jonikal .

Those who watch The Crown will be unsurprised to learn that the interiors of Jonikal , which has since been renamed Isabell Princess Of The Sea by a new owner, are just as lavish as those depicted in the look-alike on the show. Inside, the ship boasts nine staterooms, a formal dining room, bar, office space, swim platform, sun deck, and Jacuzzi. Designed by navel architect Vincenzo Ruggiero in the 1980s, coffered ceilings and dark wood paneling draw inspiration from the Arts and Crafts movement of the early 1900s.

Princess Diana and Prince Harry on a jet ski near St. Tropez

In his memoir, Prince Harry remembers his experience on the yacht as idyllic. “There was much laughter, horseplay, the norm whenever Mummy and Willy and I were together, though even more so on that holiday,” he writes. “Everything about that trip to St. Tropez was heaven. The weather was sublime, the food was tasty, Mummy was smiling.”

After the original trip with her children, the princess returned to the boat a second time with just the younger Fayed. According to Vanity Fair , Fayed catered to all of Di’s preferences, even letting her pick the music that played. Reportedly, she opted for tunes by George Michael, Frank Sinatra, and the English Patient soundtrack.

A now famous image of Princess Diana on Jonikal ’s passarelle

Nearby, a brigade of press boats captured a number of photos of Princess Diana on the yacht, formally immortalizing the vessel. Most famously, Princess Diana was captured sitting alone on the vessel’s passerelle in a now iconic image. According to Boat International , the yacht most recently sold in 2023.

As Robb Report describes it, Cujo, a 65-foot military-style superyacht was once the most famous in the world thanks to her high-profile passengers. In 1997, Fayed reportedly used this smaller vessel to woo the princess.

Princess Diana and Prince William on Dodi Fayed’s yacht

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.

Cujo was already halfway underwater when rescuers arrived.

The boat sank quickly after the distress call was made.

However, the boat’s story came to a dramatic end last summer, when it sunk off the coast of France, as reported by The Independent . According to a Facebook post from the Gendarmerie des Alpes-Maritimes, a division of the French military, passengers issued a distress call at around 12:30 local time on July 29, 2023. 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.

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

Though Princess Diana was among the most notable guests onboard, other high-profile passengers hosted by Fayed included Clint Eastwood, Tony Curtis, Bruce Willis, and Brooke Shields. 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.

More Great Stories From AD

Sign up for our daily newsletter to get the best of design in your inbox.

Explore Yolanda Hadid’s Showstopping Texas Refuge

Shop Yolanda Hadid's Open Door: Decor Inspired By Her Texas Home

Why Are So Many Influencers Moving to This Southern City?

A Dreamlike Estate in the English Countryside Keeps Family Close

Let the Millennials Have Their Gray

What Does the Perfect Neighborhood Look Like Today?

Tom Cruise’s Houses: Inside the Action Star’s Real Estate Portfolio

The World’s 39 Most Beautiful Tennis Courts

Shop Our Newest Under-$300 Decor Finds

Tim Walz Is Endearingly Passionate About Gutter Cleaning

Elon Musk Is Building the World’s Largest Supercomputer in Memphis—And Some Locals Are Very Concerned

Not a subscriber? Join AD for print and digital access now.

To revisit this article, visit My Profile, then View saved stories

Princess Diana’s Yacht Adventures: The Famous Boats She and Dodi Fayed Vacationed On

In the summer of 1997, Dodi Fayed and Princess Diana’s yacht adventures were the infatuation of the tabloids, paparazzi, and public like no other. The pair were captured sailing around the Mediterranean in July, first with both of their families, then again, just them, at the end of the month, spurring nonstop controversy and speculation. Weeks later the couple was killed in a tragic car accident, prompting even greater interest in the brief but impactful relationship. Nearly 30 years later, understanding just what happened on the high seas remains a notable point of interest for many invested in the Royal Family.

The momentous vacation was recreated in season six of Netflix’s The Crown and recounted in Prince Harry’s 2023 memoir, Spare . While conversations about the trip often recount what the couple did – and what Diana wore – it’s worth revisiting the stunning vessels where all the escapades took place. Below, AD surveys the two superyachts Princess Diana and Dodi Fayed used during their prominent summer together.

Jonikal, now known as Isabell Princess of the Sea

The sensationalised couple most famously spent time on Jonikal , a 208-foot superyacht. At the time, Mohamed Al-Fayed, Dodi’s father, owned the boat. Reportedly, he originally invited Diana to the yacht in an attempt to play matchmaker between his son and Prince William 's mother, the People’s Princess.

Princess Diana sunbathes on an orange couch aboard Jonikal .

Those who watch The Crown will be unsurprised to learn that the interiors of Jonikal , which has since been renamed Isabell Princess Of The Sea by a new owner, are just as lavish as those depicted in the look-alike on the show. Inside, the ship boasts nine staterooms, a formal dining room, bar, office space, swim platform, sun deck, and Jacuzzi. Designed by navel architect Vincenzo Ruggiero in the 1980s, coffered ceilings and dark wood paneling draw inspiration from the Arts and Crafts movement of the early 1900s.

In his memoir, Prince Harry remembers his experience on the yacht as idyllic. “There was much laughter, horseplay, the norm whenever Mummy and Willy and I were together, though even more so on that holiday,” he writes. “Everything about that trip to St. Tropez was heaven. The weather was sublime, the food was tasty, Mummy was smiling.”

The First Hydrogen-Powered Superyacht Signals A Greener Future for Luxury Travel

After the original trip with her children, Princess Diana’s yacht adventures on the Jonikal continued as she returned to the boat a second time with just the younger Fayed. According to Vanity Fair , Fayed catered to all of Di’s preferences, even letting her pick the music that played. Reportedly, she opted for tunes by George Michael, Frank Sinatra, and the English Patient soundtrack.

A now famous image of Princess Diana on Jonikal ’s passarelle

Nearby, a brigade of press boats captured a number of photos of Princess Diana on the yacht, formally immortalising the vessel. Most famously, Princess Diana was captured sitting alone on the vessel’s passerelle in a now iconic image. According to Boat International , the yacht most recently sold in 2023.

As Robb Report describes it, Cujo, a 65-foot military-style superyacht was once the most famous in the world thanks to her high-profile passengers. In 1997, Fayed reportedly used this smaller vessel to woo the princess.

Princess Diana and Prince William on Dodi Fayed’s yacht

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.

Cujo was already halfway underwater when rescuers arrived.

The boat sank quickly after the distress call was made.

However, the boat’s story came to a dramatic end last summer, when it sunk off the coast of France, as reported by The Independent . According to a Facebook post from the Gendarmerie des Alpes-Maritimes, a division of the French military, passengers issued a distress call at around 12:30 local time on July 29, 2023. 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.

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

Though Princess Diana was among the most notable guests onboard, other high-profile passengers hosted by Fayed included Clint Eastwood, Tony Curtis, Bruce Willis, and Brooke Shields. 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.

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."

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.

Related stories

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.

Watch: The rise and fall of the cruise industry

• Main content

Inside The Yacht Princess Diana and Dodi Al Fayed Toured the Mediterranean On

The princess and her paramour vacationed on the yacht shortly before their tragic deaths in 1997.

Just a month before their passing, Diana and Dodi—joined for part of the trip by her sons, Prince William and Prince Harry—traveled the South of France aboard a superyacht. Then named the Jonikal (it has subsequently been called the Sokar , and the Bash ), the yacht was owned by Dodi's father, former Harrods owner Mohamed Al Fayed , when Diana traveled on it. Following the 1997 car crash that led to the couple's deaths, Mohamed attempted to sell the yacht on a number of occasions before ultimately parting with it in 2014.

In 2022, it was announced that the 208-foot yacht, which saw the beloved royal's last vacation, would be going up for sale. According to Boat International , the vessel sold in June of 2023 following a €9 million refit.

The ship, which was first launched in 1990, reportedly has nine staterooms to hold up to 12 guests with amenities including a jacuzzi, swim platform, sun deck, formal dining room, a bar, and office space. Though the ultimate sale price for the vessel has not been revealed, the asking price was reportedly €15,500,000.

Lauren Hubbard is a freelance writer and Town & Country contributor who covers beauty, shopping, entertainment, travel, home decor, wine, and cocktails.

@media(min-width: 40.625rem){.css-1jdielu:before{margin:0.625rem 0.625rem 0;width:3.5rem;-webkit-filter:invert(17%) sepia(72%) saturate(710%) hue-rotate(181deg) brightness(97%) contrast(97%);filter:invert(17%) sepia(72%) saturate(710%) hue-rotate(181deg) brightness(97%) contrast(97%);height:1.5rem;content:'';display:inline-block;-webkit-transform:scale(-1, 1);-moz-transform:scale(-1, 1);-ms-transform:scale(-1, 1);transform:scale(-1, 1);background-repeat:no-repeat;}.loaded .css-1jdielu:before{background-image:url(/_assets/design-tokens/townandcountrymag/static/images/diamond-header-design-element.80fb60e.svg);}}@media(min-width: 64rem){.css-1jdielu:before{margin:0 0.625rem 0.25rem;}} Royal Family News @media(min-width: 40.625rem){.css-128xfoy:before{margin:0.625rem 0.625rem 0;width:3.5rem;-webkit-filter:invert(17%) sepia(72%) saturate(710%) hue-rotate(181deg) brightness(97%) contrast(97%);filter:invert(17%) sepia(72%) saturate(710%) hue-rotate(181deg) brightness(97%) contrast(97%);height:1.5rem;content:'';display:inline-block;background-repeat:no-repeat;}.loaded .css-128xfoy:before{background-image:url(/_assets/design-tokens/townandcountrymag/static/images/diamond-header-design-element.80fb60e.svg);}}@media(min-width: 64rem){.css-128xfoy:before{margin:0 0.625rem 0.25rem;}}

Prince Harry to Visit New York City in September

New Docuseries About Princess Diana's Death

Princess Märtha Louise to Marry American Shaman

Sarah Ferguson Celebrated Queen Elizabeth's Corgis

Meghan Markle's Toronto Home Is for Sale

What Type of Cancer Does Kate Have?

When Will Kate Return to Royal Duties?

Kate's Cancer Diagnosis: Everything to Know

Timeline of Kate's Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment

The Dutch Royals Looked Effortlessly Glam

Kate Makes Her Third Appearance of 2024

The global authority in superyachting

• NEWSLETTERS
• Yachts Home
• The Superyacht Directory
• Yacht Reports
• Brokerage News
• The largest yachts in the world
• The Register
• Yacht Advice
• Yacht Design
• 12m to 24m yachts
• Monaco Yacht Show
• Builder Directory
• Designer Directory
• Interior Design Directory
• Naval Architect Directory
• Yachts for sale home
• Motor yachts
• Sailing yachts
• Explorer yachts
• Classic yachts
• Sale Broker Directory
• Charter Home
• Yachts for Charter
• Charter Destinations
• Charter Broker Directory
• Destinations Home
• Mediterranean
• South Pacific
• Rest of the World
• Boat Life Home
• Owners' Experiences
• Conservation and Philanthropy
• Interiors Suppliers
• Owners' Club
• Captains' Club
• BOAT Showcase
• Boat Presents
• Events Home
• World Superyacht Awards
• Superyacht Design Festival
• Design and Innovation Awards
• Young Designer of the Year Award
• Artistry and Craft Awards
• Explorer Yachts Summit
• Ocean Talks
• The Ocean Awards
• BOAT Connect
• Between the bays
• Golf Invitational
• BOATPro Home
• Superyacht Insight
• Global Order Book
• Premium Content
• Product Features
• Testimonials
• Pricing Plan
• Tenders & Equipment

The Crown: Five insights into the yachts featured in series six

On 16 November, the first volume of series six of The Crown was released on Netflix. Not only has it stirred up controversy regarding its depiction of recent historical events, but the series has also sparked the public's interest in the infamous yachts associated with the royal family's timeline.

The final instalment of The Crown features two ladies and two yachts, all of which are indelibly linked to Dodi Al-Fayed. It captures the simmering romance between Princess Diana and Dodi – a film producer and son of billionaire Mohamed Al-Fayed – as well as Dodi's fiancée, Kelly Fisher. In the drama, the Princess of Wales is whisked away to the former Harrods owner's villa (and superyacht) in the south of France, where she enjoys a summer on the continent with sons Prince William and Prince Harry in 1997.

The series shows the group on what was Mohamed Al-Fayed's yacht, the 63.8-metre Codecasa which was known as Jonikal (later Bash, now Isabell Princess of the Seas ) . Understandably, with the People's Princess aboard, the yacht was heavily photographed by the paparazzi – leading to the creation of that iconic Princess Diana yacht photo. The camera also pans to a smaller yacht we can assume is the 20-metre Baglietto Cujo , a yacht the Al-Fayed's spent a lot of time on and which sadly sank earlier this year.

Wondering what happened to Jonikal ? If the series was filmed on the original boat? Where the set location was? BOAT answers all your yacht-related questions surrounding the latest series.

That Princess Diana yacht picture

There are many iconic images of Princess Diana – not least the shot of her in the "revenge dress" – but up there are the images of her sporting a range of low-backed swimsuits from her summer in St. Tropez. Perhaps the most memorable is Princess Diana sitting on the diving board of Jonikal. The series recreates the moment her photo was captured, legs swaying above the oscillating sea, toes pointed ballerina-esque. It also draws on her plea to the paparazzi to give her boys some privacy as she meets them mid-sea on her tender, stealing the show in her leopard-print swimsuit.

The whereabouts of Jonikal today

The yacht carries great significance knowing Dodi and Princess Diana were pictured there just weeks before their fatal car accident. It belonged to Dodi's father and, during the series, Princess Diana and Dodi are portrayed sharing intimate moments on board: her, looking up from the piano she is playing, doe-eyed; him, opening up about his engagement and the struggles with his father. There is also the scene where they have an ice cube fight between decks; the scene where Dodi's siblings and Princess Diana's children jump off the diving board; where the pair share what would've been an intimate kiss, had the photographer on his motor yacht not snapped it.

It was successful telecoms entrepreneur Bassim Haidar who later bought the yacht in 2021. The fact that it’s the former Jonikal is a source of pride for Haidar, who told BOAT : "I really loved Lady Diana. Whenever anyone comes on board I always show them where the famous picture was taken." The yacht was sold in August this year.

The yacht the series was filmed on, Titania 

The Crown was not filmed on Isabell Princess of the Seas (ex- Jonikal ), but rather on the 72-metre Lurssen superyacht Titania . The yacht, which was delivered in 2006, is owned by British businessman John Caudwell. Back in 2021, Caudwell commented on the news via his social media accounts, stating that he "cannot confirm or deny any filming secrets" but hinted that viewers should "keep your eyes peeled towards the end of season five and start of season six."

The refit in 2012 amped up her charter facilities – adding a second owner’s cabin on the upper deck, a gym on the sundeck and an extension to the stern to accommodate a beach club (which can be spotted in the series) with a full water park that floats off the stern.

The other yacht (and the other woman)

Jonikal is not the only yacht to have featured in The Crown series six, filmed in Mallorca. At one point, the camera also pans to another yacht the Al-Fayed's spent a lot of time on, the 20-metre Cujo. The drama shows Dodi's fiancée at the time, Fisher, getting escorted by tender past the yacht Dodi and Princess Diana are on ( Jonikal ), and instead shuttled away to what Fisher refers to as "the smaller yacht". 

In August this year, the real-life Cujo sunk around 35 kilometres off the coast of Beaulieu-sur-Mer, France.

Other yachts featured in the series

Christina O had 122-metre shoes to fill in season five, playing Alexander – the converted cruise ship where Princess Diana and Charles celebrated their 10th wedding anniversary . Delivered in 1965 by German shipyard Lubecker Flender Werke , the superyacht hosted the royals and their sons princes William and Harry a year before the couple separated.

A replica of the Royal Yacht Britannia also starred in the fifth Netflix series. Britannia was used as Queen Elizabeth II’s royal yacht from 1954 to 1997, hosting up to 250 guests at a time while being operated by 21 officers and 250 crew from the Royal Navy. It was decommissioned as a cost-cutting measure by the UK government in 1997.

The second part of The Crown will premiere on Netflix from 14 December.

Sign up to BOAT Briefing email

Latest news, brokerage headlines and yacht exclusives, every weekday

By signing up for BOAT newsletters, you agree to our Terms of Use and our Privacy Policy .

More about this yacht

Similar yachts for sale, yachts for charter, more stories, most popular, from our partners, sponsored listings.

• Australasia
• Mediterranean
• Middle East
• North America
• Northern Europe
• Norwegian Fjords
• Pacific Islands
• South America
• Adults-Only Cruises
• All-inclusive Cruising
• Boutique Cruising
• Classic Cruising
• Cruise from the UK
• Expedition Cruising
• Family Cruises
• Fly Cruising
• Luxury Cruising
• Mini Cruises
• Ocean Cruising
• River Cruises
• Small Ship and Yacht Cruising
• Solo Cruising
• Ultra-Luxury Cruising
• World Cruises
• Cruise Lines
• Top 10 Ocean Cruise Deals
• Top 10 Luxury Cruise Deals
• Top 10 River Cruise Deals
• Top 20 Cruise Deals
• Cruise Package Deals
• Partner Deals & Offers
• Competitions

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.

The rumour mill: What’s going on with Ambassador and Edinburgh?

Virgin voyages returns to portsmouth with its third ship, resilient lady, celestyal cruises rewards team gb olympic medallists with complimentary cruises, riviera travel boosts 2026 tall-ship programme, interview: dr damon stanwell-smith on viking's genomics at sea programme, royal caribbean’s icon of the seas to star in channel 4 documentary, seabourn adds extra antartica sailing for 2026, p&o cruises announces new partnership with southampton fc, windstar cruises marks 40 years of small ship sailing, gary barlow and p&o cruises team up to launch talent competition, follow us on socials, about gillian carmoodie.

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. 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. When partaking in work for RNLI, Land Rover or RRM, Gillian mostly runs on high-octane Earl Grey.

Andrea Rosa, Associated Press Andrea Rosa, Associated Press

Mike Corder, Associated Press Mike Corder, Associated Press

Leave your feedback

• Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/what-we-know-about-the-luxury-yacht-that-sunk-off-the-coast-of-sicily

What we know about the luxury yacht that sunk off the coast of Sicily

PORTICELLO, Sicily (AP) — Specialist cave divers working in 12-minute underwater shifts were searching Tuesday for six missing passengers and crew, including British tech tycoon Mike Lynch, believed to be in the submerged wreck of a luxury yacht that was slammed by a powerful storm and swiftly sank off Sicily.

The sleek yacht, named the Bayesian, was carrying a crew of 10 people and 12 passengers when it suddenly sank near the Mediterranean island that is part of Italy at about 4 a.m. on Monday. One body has been recovered and 15 people survived.

Fire rescue officials have said the six believed to remain in the sailboat’s hull will be considered missing until they are located in the wreckage.

Here’s what we know so far about the sinking and those who were on board.

What happened?

Italian civil protection officials believe a sudden and fierce storm that battered the coast of Sicily in the early hours of Monday whipped up a waterspout in the exact spot where the 56-meter (184-foot) British-flagged Bayesian was moored.

Karsten Borner, the captain of another yacht moored nearby, said he saw the Bayesian during the storm but when the wild weather passed it was gone and he saw only a red flare lighting the night sky, ANSA and the Giornale di Sicilia newspaper reported.

Borner and one of his crew boarded their tender and found a lifeboat carrying 15 people, some of them injured. They took them aboard their yacht and alerted the coast guard.

Rescue authorities said the wreck was resting at a depth of 50 meters (163 feet) about a half mile offshore of the picturesque fishing village of Porticello.

Who was on board?

Among the missing is 59-year-old tech tycoon Mike Lynch, sometimes described as the British Bill Gates. Lynch was acquitted in June of all charges in a U.S. fraud trial linked to the $11 billion sale of his software company Autonomy to Hewlett-Packard in 2011.

Lynch still faced a potentially huge bill stemming from a civil case in London that HP mostly won during 2022. Damages haven’t been determined in that case, but HP is seeking $4 billion. Lynch made more than $800 million from the Autonomy sale.

A Cambridge-educated mathematician, Lynch made his name running Autonomy, which made a search engine that could pore through emails and other internal business documents to help companies find vital information more quickly.

Lynch’s 18-year-old daughter Hannah was reportedly among the missing. His wife, Angela Bacares, and 14 other people survived.

Among others still missing Tuesday, according to the civil protection agency, were one of Lynch’s U.S. lawyers, Christopher Morvillo of Clifford Chance, and Morvillo’s wife, Neda. Morvillo was regarded as an elite defense lawyer and was also a federal prosecutor in New York after 9/11.

Also missing was Jonathan Bloomer, the non-executive chairman of Morgan Stanley International, and his wife, Judy. He is the former head of the Autonomy audit committee and testified for the defense at Lynch’s trial.

Bloomer was also chair of the Hiscox Group, an insurer that does business on the Lloyd’s of London market.

“We are deeply shocked and saddened by this tragic event,” Hiscox CEO Aki Hussain said in a statement. “Our thoughts are with all those affected, in particular our chair, Jonathan Bloomer, and his wife Judy, who are among the missing, and with their family as they await further news from this terrible situation.”

Among the survivors was Charlotte Golunski, who said she momentarily lost hold of her 1-year-old daughter Sofia in the water, but then managed to grab her and hold her up over the waves until a lifeboat inflated and they were both pulled to safety, Italian news agency ANSA reported. The father, identified by ANSA as James Emslie, also survived.

The Dutch foreign ministry said a Dutch man survived. The ministry, citing privacy, did not release his identity.

One body was recovered on Monday, identified as the on-board chef.

What is the Bayesian?

The Bayesian was a luxury yacht built in 2008 by the Italian firm Perini Nav. It was known for its single 75-meter (246-feet) aluminum mast — one of the world’s tallest. Online charter sites listed it for rent for up to 195,000 euros (about $215,000) a week.

Its registered owner is listed as Revtom Ltd., based on the Isle of Man, according to online maritime database Equasis. Lynch’s wife is listed as Revtom’s sole owner, according to corporate registration documents from the Isle of Man.

The yacht’s name is an apparent reference to “Bayesian inference,” one of the two main approaches to statistical machine learning and the one that was used by Autonomy.

What is a waterspout?

Waterspouts are tornadoes that form over water and can happen when a storm moves across warm water. According to the U.S. National Ocean Service, there are two types of waterspouts — fair-weather and tornadic.

Tornadic waterspouts “have the same characteristics as a land tornado. They are associated with severe thunderstorms, and are often accompanied by high winds and seas, large hail, and frequent dangerous lightning,” the service says on its website.

While scientists haven’t attributed the specific event to climate change, average monthly surface temperatures have been at record highs for months. Hotter air can hold more moisture, making heavier storms more likely.

Sicily has been baking under intense heat this summer, and the United Nations’ panel of climate change experts notes the Mediterranean is particularly vulnerable to climate change, with warming rates roughly 20% higher than the global average.

What happens next?

As the search for the missing continues, authorities already have begun trying to piece together exactly what happened.

Prosecutors from the Sicilian town of Termini Imerese have opened an investigation, as is normal in such events even when no suspects are identified. To date, they have not commented publicly.

The British Marine Accident Investigation Branch said four of its inspectors were being deployed to Palermo.

Corder reported from The Hague, Netherlands.

Support Provided By: Learn more

Educate your inbox

Subscribe to Here’s the Deal, our politics newsletter for analysis you won’t find anywhere else.

Thank you. Please check your inbox to confirm.

Yacht where Princess Diana spent her final summer on sale for £10million

The 64-metre-long boat was the setting of Princess Diana's fatal romance with Dodi Fayed. It is being sold by billionaire telecoms tycoon Hassim Haidar barely a year after he bought it

• 20:02, 23 Jul 2022

The yacht where Princess Diana spent her final summer is on the market for over £10million.

Formerly known as the Jonikal, the 64-metre-long boat was the setting of her fatal romance with Dodi Fayed .

It is being sold by billionaire telecoms tycoon Hassim Haidar barely a year after he bought it because he wants one even bigger.

Mr Haidar is known to viewers of the Channel 5’s Billionaire Superyachts: Luxury at Sea, which filmed his lavish lifestyle with his wife and daughters aboard another large vessel.

He bought the former Jonikal, renamed Sokar, in June last year and changed the name to Bash after his initials.

At the time, Mr Haidar told Superyacht Times: “The size, the volume, the history and the condition of her, I thought, maybe this is the yacht for me right now.”

The ship’s broker, John Wood, of Seawood Yachts, said: “Owners have many reasons to change, this one is mostly due to his change in fortune and wanting something even bigger.”

The vessel’s history might appeal to a new owner in the run-up to the 25th anniversary of Diana’s death on August 31 1997.

That summer, Diana, recently divorced from Prince Charles, cruised around the Mediterranean on the boat with playboy film producer Dodi.

It was one of a flotilla owned by Dodi and his father, the then Harrods owner Mohamed Al-Fayed.

Built by Italian shipyard Codecasa in 1990, the Jonikal was a sleek, floating gin palace with nine staterooms, one of Dodi’s “boys’ toys” that amused and impressed Diana.

Dodi bought it two years before their love affair and the couple used it for three cruises – around Sardinia, Greece and finally the south of France – in July and August 1997.

Pictures of the couple cuddling and kissing on the top deck went around the world, while Diana was photographed sunbathing, jumping into a speedboat and sitting on the stern in a contemplative mood.

They were among the last pictures of the Princess, who told her friend Rosa Monckton in a phone call from the yacht that her time with Dodi was “bliss”.

On August 30 the couple took a lunchtime flight to Paris to stay in the Ritz Hotel, owned by Dodi’s dad Mohamed.

In the early hours of the next day the Princess, 36, and Dodi, 42, were killed along with drunken chauffeur Henri Paul, 41, when their Mercedes crashed in the Pont de l’Alma tunnel.

In his startling eulogy at Diana’s funeral, her brother Earl Spencer referred to “joy in her private life”.

MORE ON Princess Diana Royal yacht Sunday People Dodi Fayed

Get our daily royal round-up direct to your inbox.

What Is Known About the Sinking of a Luxury Yacht off the Coast of Sicily and Those Aboard

Specialist cave divers working in 12-minute underwater shifts are searching for six missing passengers and crew, including British tech tycoon Mike Lynch, believed to be in the submerged wreck of a luxury yacht that was slammed by a powerful storm and swiftly sank off Sicily

Salvatore Cavalli

Emergency services at the scene of the search for a missing boat, in Porticello, southern Italy, Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2024. Rescue teams and divers returned to the site of a storm-sunken superyacht Tuesday to search for six people, including British tech magnate Mike Lynch, who are believed to be still trapped in the hull 50 meters (164-feet) underwater. (AP Photo/Salvatore Cavalli)

PORTICELLO, Sicily (AP) — Specialist cave divers working in 12-minute underwater shifts were searching Tuesday for six missing passengers and crew, including British tech tycoon Mike Lynch, believed to be in the submerged wreck of a luxury yacht that was slammed by a powerful storm and swiftly sank off Sicily.

The sleek yacht, named the Bayesian, was carrying a crew of 10 people and 12 passengers when it suddenly sank near the Mediterranean island that is part of Italy at about 4 a.m. on Monday. One body has been recovered and 15 people survived.

Fire rescue officials have said the six believed to remain in the sailboat's hull will be considered missing until they are located in the wreckage.

Here's what we know so far about the sinking and those who were on board.

What happened?

Italian civil protection officials believe a sudden and fierce storm that battered the coast of Sicily in the early hours of Monday whipped up a waterspout in the exact spot where the 56-meter (184-foot) British-flagged Bayesian was moored.

Karsten Borner, the captain of another yacht moored nearby, said he saw the Bayesian during the storm but when the wild weather passed it was gone and he saw only a red flare lighting the night sky, the Italian news agency ANSA and the Giornale di Sicilia newspaper reported.

Borner and one of his crew boarded their tender and found a lifeboat carrying 15 people, some of them injured. They took them aboard their yacht and alerted the coast guard.

Rescue authorities said the wreck was resting at a depth of 50 meters (163 feet) about a half mile offshore of the picturesque fishing village of Porticello.

Who was on board?

Among the missing is 59-year-old tech tycoon Mike Lynch , sometimes described as the British Bill Gates. Lynch was acquitted in June of all charges in a U.S. fraud trial linked to the $11 billion sale of his software company Autonomy to Hewlett-Packard in 2011.

Lynch still faced a potentially huge bill stemming from a civil case in London that HP mostly won during 2022. Damages haven’t been determined in that case, but HP is seeking $4 billion. Lynch made more than $800 million from the Autonomy sale.

A Cambridge-educated mathematician, Lynch made his name running Autonomy, which made a search engine that could pore through emails and other internal business documents to help companies find vital information more quickly.

Lynch’s 18-year-old daughter Hannah was reportedly among the missing. His wife, Angela Bacares, and 14 other people survived.

Among others still missing Tuesday, according to the civil protection agency, were one of Lynch’s U.S. lawyers, Christopher Morvillo of Clifford Chance, and Morvillo’s wife, Neda. Morvillo was regarded as an elite defense lawyer and was also a federal prosecutor in New York after 9/11.

Also missing was Jonathan Bloomer, the non-executive chairman of Morgan Stanley International, and his wife, Judy. He is the former head of the Autonomy audit committee and testified for the defense at Lynch’s trial.

Bloomer was also chair of the Hiscox Group, an insurer that does business on the Lloyd’s of London market.

“We are deeply shocked and saddened by this tragic event,” Hiscox CEO Aki Hussain said in a statement.

Among the survivors was Charlotte Golunski, who said she momentarily lost hold of her 1-year-old daughter Sofia in the water, but then managed to grab her and hold her up over the waves until a lifeboat inflated and they were both pulled to safety, ANSA reported. The father, identified by ANSA as James Emslie, also survived.

The Dutch foreign ministry said a Dutch man survived. The ministry, citing privacy, did not release his identity.

One body was recovered on Monday, identified as the on-board chef.

What is the Bayesian?

The Bayesian was a luxury yacht built in 2008 by the Italian firm Perini Nav. It was known for its single 75-meter (246-feet) aluminum mast — one of the world’s tallest. Online charter sites listed it for rent for up to 195,000 euros (about $215,000) a week.

Its registered owner is listed as Revtom Ltd., based on the Isle of Man, according to online maritime database Equasis. Lynch’s wife is listed as Revtom’s sole owner, according to corporate registration documents from the Isle of Man.

The yacht's name is an apparent reference to “Bayesian inference,” one of the two main approaches to statistical machine learning and the one that was used by Autonomy.

What is a waterspout?

Waterspouts are tornadoes that form over water and can happen when a storm moves across warm water.

According to the U.S. National Ocean Service, there are two types of waterspouts — fair-weather and tornadic.

Tornadic waterspouts “have the same characteristics as a land tornado. They are associated with severe thunderstorms, and are often accompanied by high winds and seas, large hail, and frequent dangerous lightning,” the service says on its website.

While scientists haven’t attributed the specific event to climate change, average monthly surface temperatures have been at record highs for months . Hotter air can hold more moisture, making heavier storms more likely.

Sicily has been baking under intense heat this summer , and the United Nations’ panel of climate change experts notes the Mediterranean Sea is particularly vulnerable to climate change, with warming rates roughly 20% higher than the global average.

How rare is it for a huge sailboat like this to capsize?

Experts say it is extraordinarily rare for a luxury sailboat of this size to capsize due to weather events.

“This just doesn’t happen. You know, boats sink because things like keels fall off, or they run aground and breach the hull ... whereas just from a weather angle, a boat that big being pushed over on its side is absolutely extraordinary,” said Skip Novak, a lifelong sailor who has taken part in multiple round the world yacht races and written books about sailing.

Novak said he believed that strong gusts likely pushed the yacht over 90 degrees to its side, and the vessel did not recover because of the weight of the huge mast and because it was anchored. He suggested that internal doors were likely not closed, and water quickly poured in to sink the vessel.

“When you’re at anchor, even if it’s blowing with a storm in the Mediterranean, you rarely shut the whole boat down because nobody expects something like this to happen," Novak told The Associated Press. “So if the boat wasn’t completely watertight at the deck, you’d have flooding going in. It would take a couple minutes and that would be it."

What happens next?

As the search for the missing continues, authorities already have begun trying to piece together exactly what happened.

Prosecutors from the Sicilian town of Termini Imerese have opened an investigation, as is normal in such events even when no suspects are identified. To date, they have not commented publicly.

The British Marine Accident Investigation Branch said four of its inspectors were being deployed to Palermo.

Corder reported from The Hague, Netherlands. Associated Press writer Sylvia Hui in London contributed to this report.

Copyright 2024 The  Associated Press . All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Photos You Should See - July 2024

Join the Conversation

Tags: Associated Press , business , world news , weather

America 2024

U.S. News Decision Points

Your trusted source for the latest news delivered weekdays from the team at U.S. News and World Report.

Sign in to manage your newsletters »

Sign up to receive the latest updates from U.S News & World Report and our trusted partners and sponsors. By clicking submit, you are agreeing to our Terms and Conditions & Privacy Policy .

You May Also Like

The 10 worst presidents.

U.S. News Staff Feb. 23, 2024

The Best Cartoons on Donald Trump

Aug. 29, 2024, at 4:08 p.m.

Joe Biden Behind The Scenes

Aug. 20, 2024

Inflation in Check, Fed Rate Cut Likely

Tim Smart Aug. 30, 2024

3 Takeaways: Harris-Walz Interview

Cecelia Smith-Schoenwalder Aug. 29, 2024

Trump, Harris Dangle Tax Cuts on Trail

Tim Smart Aug. 29, 2024

Debate Offers Trump Hurdles, Openings

What Trump, Harris Supporters Agree On

Alan Kronenberg Aug. 29, 2024

Harris on CNN: What to Know

Laura Mannweiler Aug. 29, 2024

Searches, Purge Spark Fear in Texas

Aneeta Mathur-Ashton Aug. 28, 2024

• Breaking News
• University Guide
• Meghan Markle
• Prince Harry
• King Charles III

EXCLUSIVE Pictured: Inside luxury 80ft motor-yacht 'Cujo' used by Diana and Dodi on their last summer holiday before their tragic deaths - as vessel sinks in the French Riviera after 'hitting object'

• 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 Miriam Kuepper and Perkin Amalaraj

Published: 14:47 EDT, 3 August 2023 | Updated: 07:40 EDT, 4 August 2023

View comments

A picture shows the interior of a luxury motor-yacht which has been 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. 

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 80ft-long 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.

The main salon of the Cujo (pictured in 2021 while Simon Kidston owned the vessel), the yacht Diana and Dodi were on during their last summer holiday before their deaths

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.'

Share or comment on this article: EXCLUSIVE Pictured: Inside luxury 80ft motor-yacht 'Cujo' used by Diana and Dodi on their last summer holiday before their tragic deaths - as vessel sinks in the French Riviera after 'hitting object'

Most watched news videos.

• Paedophile arrested after he's caught sending explicit images to kids
• Sir Keir Starmer's awkward football joke falls flat on Germany visit
• CCTV shows moment stalker approaches Holly Newton before stabbing her
• Scene after boulder comes crashing down at a cafe in Kensington
• Scene after man in wheelchair is stabbed to death in Clapton
• Police and fire crews on site after road accident kills three in Wales
• Moment vigilante pickpocket hunter 'exposes criminals' in London
• Barcelona Police skits reveal tricks employed by pickpockets
• David Axelrod weighs in on Kamala Harris' CNN interview
• Trump weighs in on Kamala's long-awaited first interview
• 'Robin Hood' supermarket thief scatters cash to share with shoppers
• Trump reveals how he will vote on Florida 6-week abortion ban

Comments 35

Share what you think

• Worst rated

The comments below have not been moderated.

The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline.

We are no longer accepting comments on this article.

• Follow DailyMail
• Subscribe Daily Mail
• Follow @dailymail
• Follow MailOnline
• Follow Daily Mail

From the Makers of Candy Crush

• Back to top

Published by Associated Newspapers Ltd

Part of the Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday & Metro Media Group

Yacht Sank in Sicily Due to ‘Endless Chain of Errors,' Ship Maker's Owner Speculates: ‘Everything Was Predictable’

"A series of activities should have been done to avoid finding oneself in that situation," argues Giovanni Costantino, who owns the firm that built the vessel in 2008

• Giovanni Costantino — who is the CEO of The Italian Sea Group, the company that now owns Perini Navi, which built the  Bayesian  in 2008 — blames an "endless chain of errors" for the luxury yacht’s sinking on Monday, Aug. 19
• "Everything was predictable. I have the weather charts in front of me here," Constantino told Italian newspaper  Corriere della Sera  of the storm the boat was caught in
• "An unsinkable ship but from the crew an endless chain of errors," the CEO claimed to the outlet

The sinking of the luxury Bayesian  yacht off the coast of Sicily this week  resulted from an "endless chain of errors" by the crew, the ship maker's CEO is speculating.

"This episode sounds like an unbelievable story, both technically and as a fact," Giovanni Costantino — who leads The Italian Sea Group, the company that now owns Perini Navi, which built the  Bayesian  in 2008 — said,  according to CNN .

While speaking to  Italian newspaper  Corriere della Sera , Costantino said he believes those on board should not have been in their cabins, as he claims they were, when the Bayesian sank in the early hours of Monday, Aug. 19. 

Many details of why the yacht went into the water so quickly remain unclear and it's not yet known what the passengers and crew were doing before tragedy struck.

The 183-foot British vessel sank around 5 a.m. local time on Monday after a "violent storm" while near Porticello, the Italian coast guard said in a statement that was previously obtained by PEOPLE.

"Everything that has been done reveals a very long sum of errors. The people should not have been in the cabins, the boat should not have been at anchor. And then why didn't the crew know about the incoming disturbance?" Costantino said in his interview, translated from Italian.

Related: Italian Authorities Currently Don’t Have Anyone ‘Under Investigation’ over Luxury Yacht Sinking

"The passengers reported an absurd thing, namely that the storm came unexpected, suddenly. It's not true. Everything was predictable. I have the weather charts in front of me here. Nothing came suddenly ... Ask yourself, why was no fisherman from Porticello out that night? A fisherman reads the weather conditions and a ship doesn't? The disturbance was fully readable in all the weather charts. One could not not know," he argued.

"An unsinkable ship but from the crew an endless chain of errors," the CEO asserted.

The coast guard has said 22 people were aboard the  Bayesian  when it sank — 12 passengers and 10 crew — and that 15 of those were subsequently rescued.

The body of the yacht's chef, Recaldo Thomas, was recovered nearby. 

Costantino's comments came as it was reported that five bodies had been found in the search for the missing six people as of Wednesday, Aug. 21, a source close to the rescue operations confirmed to PEOPLE. Authorities have said that their work is ongoing. 

An Italian government official, Massimo Mariani, reportedly named one of the dead as British tech tycoon Mike Lynch . The other bodies have not yet been publicly identified by authorities. 

Lynch was celebrating with family and friends on the yacht following his acquittal in a fraud trial in June, PEOPLE previously reported.

Related: 'We Are in Shock,' Prominent N.Y.C. Attorney's Firm Says After He and His Wife Go Missing in Yacht Sinking

Costantino offered his view of how the tragedy could have been avoided: "To begin with, in a weather alert situation it was inappropriate to have, as I read, a party. Not that evening. The hull and deck needed to be secured by closing all doors and hatches, after putting the guests at the ship's meeting point as per emergency procedure. Then start the engines and pull up the anchor or release it automatically, put the bow to the wind and lower the keel.

"The next morning they would have departed with zero damage." 

When discussing whether the crew were at fault, Costantino reiterated to the Italian outlet that he believes "errors were made."

"A series of activities should have been done to avoid finding oneself in that situation," he said. "I as the ship's captain would have moved, but even if for some reason I had to stay there, I would have managed those weather conditions which then, let's face it, weren't so crazy."

Never miss a story — sign up for  PEOPLE's free daily newsletter  to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.  

Costantino contended that there would have been "a zero risk if the correct maneuvers had been made and if situations that compromised the ship's stability had not occurred," adding to the newspaper that reports that the boat went down in seconds is "nonsense." He believes the yacht would have "went down" after water "started to enter" within "six minutes."

The remaining missing  Bayesian  passengers are Lynch's daughter Hannah as well as Chairman of Morgan Stanley International  Jonathan Bloomer, his wife, Judy , and New York City-based lawyer  Christopher Morvillo and his wife, Neda , sources have said.

Lynch's wife, Angela Bacares, was among those rescued, PEOPLE previously reported.

For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on People .

Mike Lynch death: Tributes flow for Autonomy cofounder and ‘creator of dreams’

It has now been confirmed that Mike Lynch, one of the most prominent and controversial figures in the U.K. tech scene, died in the sinking of his superyacht off Sicily on Monday. At least five others also died when the vessel capsized in a violent storm; Lynch’s teenage daughter Hannah remains missing.

I encourage you to read my colleague Ryan Hogg’s obituary of Lynch , who I was writing about just a couple weeks ago in the context of his legal travails. Following a lengthy extradition drama, Lynch, 59, was acquitted in June of criminal fraud charges relating to the sale of his data software firm Autonomy to Hewlett-Packard in 2011. Indeed, his fateful trip with family, friends and lawyers was reportedly a celebration of that victory.

Morgan Stanley International chair Jonathan Bloomer, who had chaired Autonomy’s audit committee during the HP sale, and who testified in Lynch’s defense, also died in the sinking of the Bayesian. In a grotesque coincidence, Lynch’s also-acquitted codefendant in the U.S. trial, former Autonomy finance VP Stephen Chamberlain, was fatally struck by a car while jogging in England on Saturday.

Although he was acquitted in the U.S., a U.K. civil case over Autonomy’s misrepresentation of its financials to HP resulted in a ruling that Lynch had known what was going on. As a result, Hewlett Packard Enterprise (which has been handling the case since it was spun out of HP in 2015) had been hoping to recoup billions of dollars from Lynch and former Autonomy CFO Sushovan Hussain, who received a five-year sentence in the U.S. over the affair.

“We’re saddened by this tragic event and our thoughts are with the families and friends of all those who lost their lives,” said an HPE spokesman, while declining to comment on the future of the legal proceedings.

Friends say Lynch had been at the “beginning of a new life” following his U.S. acquittal, and many tributes followed the confirmation of his passing.

“The world has lost a genius. His family have lost a giant of a man,” said Autonomy cofounder David Tabizel.

“Mike Lynch should be remembered as the person who catalyzed a breed of deep tech entrepreneurs in the U.K.,” said John Browne, the former BP CEO and the chair of the Francis Crick Institute, a biomedical research center for which Lynch once helped to raise funds. “His ideas and his personal vision were a powerful contribution to science and technology in both Britain and globally. I send my condolences to those close to him. We have lost a human being of great ability.”

David Yelland, the former editor of The Sun and Lynch’s public relations advisor, said Lynch was “failed in life by his country and his peers when he needed them most—as he looked for help in the unjust U.S. demand that he be extradited—and he has then suffered the most unfair and brutal of fates.”

“I was in touch with Mike just before he sailed,” Yelland wrote on X . “He wasn’t a mere dreamer of dreams, he was a creator of dreams not just for himself but for all those that knew him, worked with him or invested with him.”

Lynch was a fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering, the board of which said it was “deeply saddened” to hear of his death. A spokesperson from industry body TechUK told the Evening Standard that Lynch had been “a hugely significant and pioneering figure in the U.K. technology sector.”

More news below. And do read my colleague Eleanor Pringle’s piece on X’s true owners , whose identities have just been revealed in the context of a lawsuit by former employees. Bill Ackman is no surprise, but the same can’t be said for Diddy.

David Meyer

Want to send thoughts or suggestions to Data Sheet? Drop a line  here .

Walmart sells JD.com stake. Walmart has sold its entire $3.7 billion stake in the Chinese e-commerce giant JD.com and says it will focus on its own Chinese operations now. As Reuters reports , the move may have something to do with how the ultra-competitive nature of Chinese e-commerce squeezes profit margins. Walmart has in recent years been pulling out of a few international markets where it can’t turn a decent profit.

Head-to-head spectacle. The second half of next month will see the unveiling of not one but two big plays in the augmented reality glasses space, The Verge reports . Snap will apparently show off the fifth generation of its Spectacles on Sept. 17, with Mark Zuckerberg revealing Meta’s entry into the AR specs business the following week. Meta’s effort is code-named Orion.

Google targeting teens. Not long after the Financial Times reported that Google broke its own rules by letting Meta target teens with its YouTube ads, Adweek reports that this was no one-off. Citing three ad buyers, plus written documentation, the publication says Google’s salespeople have been advising ad buyers on how to reach teenagers despite the fact that Google doesn’t allow targeting that age group. The key, it seems, is to target the cohort of “unknown” users, about whom Google doesn’t know age or other details, as teens are probably included in the group. Google says it will remind its reps not to help agencies and advertisers skirt the company’s rules.

SIGNIFICANT FIGURES

—The estimated number of trees felled to make space for Tesla’s gigafactory outside Berlin. That’s according to environmental intelligence company Kayrros; many environmental campaigners oppose the plant.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

Russian users get locked out of Telegram and WhatsApp as Moscow intensifies internet censorship , by AFP

Another Tesla veteran resigned, writing it was ‘definitely not for the faint of heart’ , by Amanda Gerut

Tech CEO swears off Silicon Valley’s latest craze: ‘I really f—– hate generative AI’ , by Chloe Berger

Andreessen Horowitz leads $80 million bet on startup seeking to tame AI with copyright , by Jeff John Roberts

Taxpayers and tech companies will help fund journalism and AI research in landmark California deal , by the Associated Press

BEFORE YOU GO

Plans laid for new streamer. There’s reportedly going to be a new streaming service in town, coming from…Chick-fil-A? According to Deadline , the fast-food company has been talking to big production companies about the creation of original, family-friendly content, with a tilt towards reality TV. The publication notes that Chick-fil-A has made content for its own website before, but this would be something else—and it could be a boon for the ailing reality TV sector.

Latest in Newsletters

Why Lexmark ditched employee ratings in favor of honest conversations

This Goldman Sachs exec transformed how sports teams finance billion-dollar stadiums

It’s been a tough week for DEI as Lowe’s and Ford announce rollbacks—but the bigger picture tells a different story

Inflation is causing pet parents to pull back on treats, says J.M. Smucker’s CFO

Goldman Sachs sports boss breaks down the future of private equity investing

The back-to-school learning mindset extends to business

• Share full article

Advertisement

Morning Briefing: Asia Pacific Edition

Thursday briefing: russia says ukraine aimed drones at moscow.

Plus, China’s “road-trip auntie.”

By Justin Porter

Russia says Ukrainian drones attacked Moscow

Russia said it repelled a drone attack against Moscow yesterday, as Ukraine presses on with its offensive in Russia’s southern Kursk region. The Russian authorities did not report any damage or casualties, saying 10 Ukrainian attack drones were destroyed by the capital’s air defenses.

A Washington-based think tank said Ukraine was making marginal advances within Russia. Footage showed that Ukrainian troops had entered the outskirts of Korenevo, a town of about 5,000 people, and pushed into two more villages. Russian forces are trying to install pontoons to cross a section of the Seym River after Ukraine destroyed several bridges.

President Vladimir Putin has promised a decisive response to Ukraine’s incursion, but so far there has been more focus on containment than retaliation. Russian forces have slowed Ukraine’s advance and hardened the front line, setting up the next phase of a battle with high stakes for both sides. Instead of weakening the Kremlin, the invasion may eventually cause more Russian citizens to rally around the flag , some analysts said.

Context: Drone assaults away from the front lines have become a feature of the Russia-Ukraine war. Ukraine also said it had intercepted 50 Russian drones over its territory overnight.

Israel and Hezbollah trade strikes with talks stalled

The Israeli military and Hezbollah traded cross-border strikes yesterday, as months of diplomatic efforts have failed to ease hostilities.

Israel said that it had struck weapon-storage facilities used by Hezbollah. The strikes killed at least one person and injured 30 others, Lebanon’s Health Ministry said. Hezbollah said it had responded by targeting an Israeli base in the Golan Heights, which Israel said had caused at least one injury.

Diplomatic efforts to bring an end to the war in Gaza are at a standstill, despite hopes from the U.S. that a new proposal could break the deadlock. In broad terms, the U.S. proposal appears to conform to demands by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that Israeli troops continue to patrol part of Gaza along the border with Egypt. Here’s what we know about the proposed deal .

An Israeli strike on a school turned shelter in Gaza City killed at least two people, according to Gazan emergency services. Here are other key developments in the war .

Hundreds of ultra-Orthodox Israeli men clashed with the police outside a conscription center over a court-ordered military draft.

🇺🇸 U.S. ELECTION 2024

The presidential election is less than 80 days away. This is what we’re watching.

Changing the message on Trump

Kamala Harris and her allies are crafting a new approach to Donald Trump. Democrats have portrayed him as a dangerous villain, a racist and a threat to democracy. Now, they’re trying something else — deflating him.

Harris and her allies have argued at the Democratic National Convention that Trump is a meanspirited fraud who is playing a long con on the American people. They are depicting him as a fake working man’s populist and an anti-union “scab.”

The strategy is designed not just to earn applause but to win votes, eroding Trump’s support among the undecided and mostly white middle-class voters in three states that are likely to decide the election: Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin.

On Day 3 of the convention, taking place on Wednesday night in the U.S., the jovial, blunt-spoken Tim Walz, Harris’s running mate, will speak to the largest audience of his political career, as he formally accepts the nomination for vice president. Bill Clinton is also expected to take the stage.

Here’s what else to know:

Trump and his running mate, Senator JD Vance of Ohio, are in North Carolina for Trump’s first outdoor rally since an assassination attempt. He will be shielded by bulletproof glass .

The ascension of Harris has unleashed a gusher of political donations to Democrats .

Michelle Obama’s militaristic sleeveless outfit suggests this election will be a fight , our fashion critic writes.

Do you have questions about the election? Send them to us, and we’ll find the answers.

Stay up to date: Live coverage | Poll tracker | The “Run-Up” podcast | On Politics newsletter

MORE TOP NEWS

Economy: The U.S. added far fewer jobs in 2023 and early 2024 than previously reported.

Italy: Divers recovered the bodies of four passengers from a yacht that sank near Sicily.

Thailand: A former deputy prime minister slapped a female reporter , prompting demands for an investigation.

Iran: At least 28 religious pilgrims from Pakistan were killed when their bus overturned.

U.S.: Bird flu is poised to gain a firm foothold in cattle, raising the odds of an outbreak among people .

Bosnia: A school employee fatally shot three people in a town in the northwest.

Science: Rain may have been an essential ingredient for the origin of life , according to a new study.

Cricket: The 2024 Women’s T20 World Cup has been moved from Bangladesh to the Emirates because of political instability.

Baseball: The World Baseball Classic has released its 2026 tournament formats, brackets and schedule. Check it out.

Field hockey: Erin Matson has carved herself a place in women’s athletics. Can field hockey, which exists in the margins of U.S. sports, capitalize on her fame?

MORNING READ

A “speedy little star” — either a low-mass star or a brown dwarf — is traveling through the Milky Way at about a million miles an hour . That could be fast enough to break free from the gravitational clutches of our galaxy, and may shed light on the oldest, and some of the fastest, stars in our skies.

CONVERSATION STARTERS

Between the sheets: Sex therapists shared the advice they repeat constantly. For starters, don’t get so hung up on how often you have, or want, sex.

Online hate: Several people in Britain were arrested over posts they made during recent anti-immigrant riots, raising questions about the limits of free speech.

Hacking shoppers’ psyche: More than 100 million people visit the retail juggernaut Costco for everything from groceries and gas to gold bars and pet coffins.

ARTS AND IDEAS

Meet china’s ‘road-trip auntie’.

Four years ago Su Min left home, an abusive marriage and started a solo road trip across China. Since then, she’s become an internet sensation and an accidental icon of women’s awakening across the country.

But she never filed for divorce — until a month ago. Her husband refused at first, and a legal fight loomed. Judges in China often deny petitions or force couples into mediation that disadvantages women, studies show, and domestic violence claims are often ignored. Her husband gave in only after she agreed to pay him more than $22,000 .

“It’s all I have — how could I not be upset?” Su, 60, said in an interview. Still, she said, “even though money is very important, freedom is more important.”

RECOMMENDATIONS

Cook: Roasting brings out the best in tomatoes and okra, and adding shrimp levels them up.

Beware: It’s risky to reunite with an ex — just ask Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck.

Listen: Amplifier has seven collaborations you need to hear right now.

Play: Spelling Bee , the Mini Crossword , Wordle and Sudoku . Find all our games here .

That’s it for today. See you tomorrow. — Justin

We welcome your feedback. Send us your suggestions at [email protected] .

Justin Porter is Times editor working on the Newsletters desk. More about Justin Porter