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