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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Cujo was able to travel 40 knots per hour. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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