" It's with great sadness this morning that I learned of the death of Andreas Liveras, owner of Liveras Yachts, whose fleet includes some of the most expensive charter yachts in the world. Liveras, who was 73, is among the victims of this week's terror attacks in Mumbai, India.

According to The Wall Street Journal, Liveras was among the tourists trapped in the Taj Mahal Palace. The Journal says that Liveras was in town for a boat show, but industry sources tell me he was there on other business. He apparently was not staying at the Taj Mahal, but had gone there because he had heard that one of its restaurants served good curry.

The last public statement that Liveras made was via his cell phone to the BBC, for whose reporters he described the chaotic scene of being trapped among about a thousand people. (You can read some of his last words in this London Times report, or click here to view a BBC video report that includes the voices of people who saw what happened in the restaurant.) It appears that terrorists with machine guns entered the restaurant just after Liveras had sat down and ordered his meal. Liveras was born on Cyprus, but had emigrated to England years ago and was carrying his British passport in India, and thus was targeted along with Americans at the hotel.

Reports indicate that sometime after calling the BBC and his family, Liveras suffered multiple gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead on arrival at a local hospital.

The short statement that I received from Liveras Yachts reads: "Not only was Andreas one of the great entrepreneurs and characters of the yachting business; he was also a much loved and respected father, grandfather and friend. He will be greatly missed by all who loved him and knew him."

Edmiston & Company released a statement explaining that Liveras's 280-foot charter motoryacht, Alysia, was in India to host a company event. All five of the Edmiston workers who were on site are accounted for and safe. Company Chairman Nicholas Edmiston will be flying home with Liveras's body as soon as possible.

"Andreas was a close personal friend and a wonderful person with whom to do business," Edmiston said in the statement. "Always straightforward, honest and generous, he was a bon viveur to the last. He will be greatly missed by everyone who knew him."

Some of the worldwide charter industry's top brokers have been mourning the loss publicly. DJ Parker, president of Neptune Group Yachting, was quoted by CBS television in Miami, Florida. Shannon Webster of Shannon Webster Yacht Charters wrote a thoughtful post yesterday on her CharterWave Sponsored Blog.

I first met Andreas Liveras nearly ten years ago. His yachts have been a fixture on the large-scale charter scene for as long as I have been covering the business as a journalist. He became perhaps the ultimate figure in "super-size" charters in 2005, when he launched the 280-foot sisterships Alysia and Annaliesse, each capable of carrying 36 guests (well more than the typical top number of 12 in private yacht charter). At the time, each yacht's weekly base rate was $840,000, making them the most expensive charter yachts in the world. With typical expenses added in, each yacht garnered more than a million dollars per week.

More recently, I wrote this feature for Power & Motoryacht magazine and a second feature for Robb Report magazine about Liveras's newly refitted 295-foot motoryacht, Lauren L, which I toured in Genoa, Italy, in May. At the time, the company announced plans for a new pair of 354-foot sisterships that Liveras intended to put into the charter market in the next few years, thus cementing his status as the owner of the world's largest, highest-capacity charter yachts. Construction on those yachts began a few months ago in western Europe.

On a more personal note, Andreas Liveras was a personable man whom I always enjoyed seeing at charter yacht shows. He was renowned in the industry for his generosity. There are countless cocktail parties and other such events at these boat shows, and his were always among the most lavish and welcoming. He took great pride in putting on a good show, both for the industry and for the wealthy people who chartered his vessels.

He will indeed be greatly missed."

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