FRANCE Luxury yacht blamed for destruction of WWII aircraft wreck off Saint-Cyr-sur-Mer

 A luxury sailing yacht has been blamed for destroying a well-preserved Second World War aircraft wreck off Saint-Cyr-sur-Mer, prompting an investigation and calls for better protection of underwater heritage.   

 

 A Second World War aircraft wreck off the coast of Saint-Cyr-sur-Mer has been largely destroyed after being struck by the anchor of a luxury sailing yacht, according to local divers and the French Maritime Prefecture. 

 

 

The wreck of a Lockheed P-38 Lightning, shot down by German forces in 1944, lay 38 metres below the surface in Les Lecques Bay and was considered one of the best-preserved dive sites in the region.

Members of the Lecques Aquanaut Center, who discovered the wreck in 1996, said they found it reduced to twisted metal scattered across the seabed when they visited the site on 17 July.

The Maritime Prefecture confirmed that the damage was caused by the Orient Express Corinthian, a luxury sailing yacht launched earlier this year. 

 

 

The vessel had anchored directly above the wreck the previous day in an area where anchoring is permitted, although divers say the historic site should have been better protected.

The P-38 had become both a popular attraction for divers and an important marine habitat, home to species including lobsters and red mullet.

Local diving clubs say its destruction represents a significant loss for both underwater heritage and the local tourism industry.

Following the incident, the French Maritime Prefecture has temporarily banned diving and anchoring around the site while specialists assess the damage.

According to local reports, legal action could also follow over the destruction of a cultural heritage site. 

 

https://www.rivieraradio.mc/article/luxury-yacht-blamed-for-destruction-of-wwii-aircraft-wreck-off-saint-cyr-sur-mer-5HjddwZ_2/   

 

 

 Luxury yacht blamed for destruction of WWII aircraft wreck off Saint-Cyr-sur-Mer