The French Navy has found the wreckage of its ‘Minerve’ submarine, which disappeared off the coast of Toulon in the Mediterranean Sea in 1968, leading to the loss of 52 lives.“We have just found the Minerve. It was a successful operation, a moment of relief and a demonstration of technical prowess. I would like to spare a thought for the families of those who have waited for this moment for so long,” said French Armed Forces Minister Florence Parly on Monday.
The missing submarine was found 45km (30 miles) from Toulon 2,370m (7,800ft) under the surface. The precise reason behind the accident involving the Minerve has never been revealed. It was one in a string of a deadly disaster involving military submarines around the world during the 1960s.
The government decided in 2018 to renew efforts to find the Minerve, following requests from the bereaved families, and found it thanks to the use of new sonar and drone technology. The reason the submarine sank remains unknown.
