Zone
Manche

Crash of a Latécoère 631 off Saint-Marcouf Islands: 19 killed

Date & Time: Feb 21, 1948 at 1400 LT
Type of aircraft:
Latécoère 631
Operator:
Registration:
F-BDRD
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Positioning
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Le Havre – Biscarosse
MSN:
07
YOM:
1948
Location:
Saint-Marcouf Islands
Manche
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
11
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
19
Circumstances:
Few minutes after takeoff from Le Havre, while flying over the Bay of Seine, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with snow falls. The seaplane went out of control and crashed into the sea off the Saint-Marcouf Islands, between Le Havre and Cherbourg. The aircraft was lost and all 19 occupants, pilots and engineers of the manufacturer, were killed.

Crash of a Douglas DB-7 Boston off Saint-Marcouf Islands: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jun 6, 1944 at 0610 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas A-20 Havoc/DB-7 Boston
Operator:
Registration:
BZ213
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Location:
Saint-Marcouf Islands
Manche
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
Three French crew members took place on board this RAF Boston on behalf of the 342th Squadron of the Free French Forces of the Groupe Lorraine. With 11 other similar airplanes, the Boston was engaged in a flare smoke dispersion to hide the ships. While approaching the coast, the airplane was shot down by German antiaircraft fire and crashed into the sea off Utah Beach. The aircraft was lost and all three crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Roger Boissieux, pilot,
1st Lt Bernard Canut, navigator,
Sgt Jean-François Henson.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.
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