No fatalities

Aircraft crash in Seine estuary off Le Havre (G-ABWA)

Le Havre, FranceFlight

On December 30, 1936, a De Havilland DH.80 Puss Moth (registration G-ABWA) operated by Lawrence Aircraft Hire was involved in an aviation accident near Le Havre, France in flight. No fatalities were reported. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 1 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Primary reportUpdated 2026-08-04Data APIEditorial standards

An aircraft crashed into the Seine estuary near Le Havre during a flight from Villacoublay to Lympne. The pilot was rescued, but the plane was salvaged and declared beyond repair.

What happened

The incident occurred while the aircraft was en route from Villacoublay to Lympne, Kent. During this leg of the journey, the airplane crashed into the waters of the Seine estuary, located off the coast of Le Havre.

Following the impact, the pilot was successfully rescued from the water. The wreckage was subsequently recovered through a salvage operation. Upon inspection, the aircraft was assessed as damaged beyond repair and could not be returned to service.

Records indicate that at the time of the accident, the airplane was transporting a cargo of jewelry belonging to Spanish Nationalist refugees.