Two French military divers die during nighttime training exercise
Two French military divers drowned during a nighttime training exercise in the Maine River.
Event / Disaster
French Military Divers Training Fatality
Two French military divers aged 24 and 30 died during a nighttime training exercise in the Maine River at Angers on May 4-5, 2026. The divers lost contact during the exercise and were found trapped in a bridge pillar cavity. Both were pronounced dead at the hospital. The investigation was transferred to the Rennes prosecutor's office.
1 reported locations
Daily activity
0 articles0 articles
2026-08-18 to 2026-11-15 · UTC publication dates
Coverage begins 5 May, 12:06 UTC
Follow the documented timeline or explore the related reporting.
What happened
Military diving exercise investigation transferred to Rennes prosecutor's office
The Angers prosecutor's office transferred jurisdiction of the investigation to the Rennes prosecutor's office on the morning of May 5, 2026, as the Rennes office has competence over military matters. The investigation was assigned to the research brigade of the Angers gendarmerie. The Rennes prosecutor's office declined to communicate further details about the accident circumstances at that stage.
Two military divers belonged to French Army engineering regiments
One of the deceased divers was assigned to the 6th Regiment of Engineers (6e régiment du génie) based in Angers. The other was assigned to the 1st Foreign Regiment of Engineers (1er régiment étranger du génie) based in Laudun in the Gard department. Both were participating in a joint military diving training course that had begun in Saint-Mandrier in the Var for the maritime portion before continuing in Angers for the freshwater portion.
Two French military divers drown during nighttime exercise in Maine River at Angers
Two military divers, aged 24 and 30, died by drowning during a military diving exercise in the Maine River at Angers on the night of May 4-5, 2026. The exercise began around 23:00 on May 4 in the waters of the Maine. Contact with the two divers was lost around 02:00. According to initial findings, the divers may have become trapped in a cavity within a bridge pillar spanning the river. Rescue teams recovered both divers in cardio-respiratory arrest around 03:30. Despite resuscitation attempts, both were pronounced dead at the hospital around 04:30.
Read the coverage
2 alternative perspectives