Accident Overview
An instructor and two pilots under supervision departed Marseille-Marignane Airport for a training flight. The flight included several scooping maneuvers on Sainte-Croix Lake, located approximately 85 km northeast of Marseille.
Accident Sequence
While the aircraft was completing a new scooping procedure, it approached the water in a high nose attitude. Upon landing, the aircraft disintegrated. The main wreckage sank to a depth of 31 meters off the commune of Les Salles-sur-Verdon.
Occupants and Injuries
One pilot was found alive but seriously injured due to hypothermia; the water temperature was reported to be 6°C. The other two occupants, Jean Beauvais and Jean-Pierre Laty, were killed.
Wreckage and Recovery
The main wreckage rests at a depth of 31 meters. No further details on the aircraft type or recovery efforts were provided in the source.