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It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of the spiritual leader, serial yacht owner and billionaire The Aga Khan.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/347419/image/large-3aa76fe4c3782347d80210d7c3324499.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/347419">His Highness Prince Karim Aga Khan IV, the 49th hereditary Imam of the Ismaili Muslim community, passed away peacefully on 4 February 2025 in Lisbon, Portugal, at the age of 88.Born on 13 December 1936 in Geneva, Switzerland, he assumed the role of Imam at the age of 20, succeeding his grandfather, Aga Khan III. Throughout his life, The Aga Khan was renowned for his profound contributions to philanthropy and culture.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/333784/image/large-36d04f36b34b11772d0ef50df8fc9d63.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/333784">Beyond his spiritual leadership, The Aga Khan was an avid yachtsman, owning several notable vessels, including the 49.9-metre <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/96" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Devonport (Company)">Devonport</a> superyacht <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/308" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Alamshar49.9m (163'9&quot;)Devonport2014">Alamshar</a>. Named after one of his prized racehorses, the yacht was designed to achieve the seemingly impossible – high-speed performance while still offering all the amenities expected on a superyacht.Read: <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Article/62509" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Alamshar: An iconic masterpiece conceived from an owner's desire to achieve high performance in comfort (2025-01-30 11:00:00 +0100)">Alamshar: An iconic masterpiece conceived from an owner's desire to achieve high performance in comfort</a><img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/333796/image/large-14b3f0a5ea079698b0c6bfe648ca470d.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/333796">Launched in 2014, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/308" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Alamshar49.9m (163'9&quot;)Devonport2014">Alamshar</a> features exterior design and naval architecture by <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/146" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Donald L. Blount & Associates (Company)">Donald L. Blount and Associates</a> with interiors penned by <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/61" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="RWD (Company)">RWD</a>. Accommodating up to 12 guests and 11 crew, she was outfitted by <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/456" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Oldenburger Interiors (Company)">Oldenburger</a> and is currently for sale with <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/206" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Yachting Partners International (Company)">Yachting Partners International YPI</a>. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/84836/image/large-4a925cda6c5d6f0345c5a4e82aadf8cb.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/84836">The Aga Khan was also the owner of the 46.6-metre <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/23" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Lürssen Yachts (Company)">Lürssen</a> superyacht <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/599" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Shergar46.6m (152'11&quot;)Lürssen Yachts1983">Shergar</a>. Launched in 1983 and also named after his thoroughbred racehorse of the same name. The horse won the Epsom Derby, the Irish Derby and the King George, before being kidnapped in February 1983 from Ireland's Ballymany stud farm. The horse was never found and no arrests have ever been made in relation to the theft.Built to be one of the fastest yachts in the world, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/599" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Shergar46.6m (152'11&quot;)Lürssen Yachts1983">Shergar</a> was well ahead of her time, fitted with twin <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/2602" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Allison (Company)">Allison</a> 6,100 horsepower gas turbine engines, giving her a top speed of about 45 knots.Read: <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Article/40309" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="The 1983 built fast superyacht Shergar (2013-03-26 23:00:00 +0100)">The 1983 built fast superyacht Shergar</a><img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/223078/image/large-a53d2b819726111615c1c68711ab2157.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/223078">Also in The Aga Khan’s fleet were the 26.52-metre motor yacht <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/11946" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Zarkava 26.52m (87'0&quot;)Hodgdon Yachts2010">Zarkava</a> and the 25.91-metre <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/670" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Hodgdon Yachts (Company)">Hodgdon</a> motor yacht <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/11944" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Valyra 25.91m (85'0&quot;)Hodgdon Yachts2013">Valyra</a>, both of which were named after racehorses. <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/11944" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Valyra 25.91m (85'0&quot;)Hodgdon Yachts2013">Valyra</a> is sistership to <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/11946" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Zarkava 26.52m (87'0&quot;)Hodgdon Yachts2010">Zarkava</a> launched in 2011 and the idea was to keep the first one in the Mediterranean and <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/11944" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Valyra 25.91m (85'0&quot;)Hodgdon Yachts2013">Valyra</a> in Florida for family trips to the Bahamas at weekends.Read: <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Article/54943" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Blast from the past: Pushing the envelope with 26m Valyra (2022-04-11 13:15:00 +0200)">Blast from the past: Pushing the envelope with 26m Valyra</a><img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/347420/image/large-3b7b0f5f5d0c2a33633171cbb26478ad.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/347420">As well as this, The Aga Khan co-founded the <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/2826" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Yacht Club Costa Smeralda (Company)">Yacht Club Costa Smeralda</a> in Porto Cervo, Sardinia, in 1967 and remained the President. “The entire <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/2826" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Yacht Club Costa Smeralda (Company)">Yacht Club Costa Smeralda</a>, its members, Board of Directors, Commodore, Board of Auditors, management and staff extend their deepest condolences to His Highness' family and the Ismaili community,” said <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/2826" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Yacht Club Costa Smeralda (Company)">YCCS</a> in a statement on its website.Our thoughts are with his family and friends during this time of loss.

Aga Khan: Serial yacht owner passes away, aged 88

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of the spiritual leader, serial yacht owner and billionaire The Aga Khan.

In Memoriam: Serial yacht owner Aga Khan passes away 

15 of the world's fastest yachts

We present a selection of 10 of the world’s fastest yachts. Find out how a 42m superyacht manages to top out at 70 knots on SYT: