What happened
During a night-time tactical training mission over the Atlantic Ocean, an aircraft operated by Escadrille 25F crashed near the Lorient-Lann-Bihoué Naval Air Station. The flight departed from the airfield under challenging weather conditions. Shortly after takeoff, while the aircraft was in its initial climb phase, it began a left turn before descending rapidly into the ground.
The impact occurred on a small hill situated approximately 3 km southwest of the naval air station in the Kergantic area. The crash resulted in the total destruction of the aircraft and caused 12 fatalities, with no survivors among the crew members.
Findings
Investigations into the accident noted that the flight was operating in poor weather conditions at the time of the descent. The sequence of events indicates the loss of control occurred during the early stages of the climb following departure.