One person is confirmed dead after a fishing vessel capsized in rough seas in the Bay of Biscay off France's western coast on Monday, January 20.
French authorities first learned of the incident involving the gillnetter Rose des Vents at around 05:50 local time on Monday after an EPIRB alert was sent from the vessel and duly received by the Regional Operating Surveillance and Rescue Centre at Etel.
A rescue boat and a French Navy helicopter were then sent to the area to render assistance to the crewmembers of the capsized vessel, which was then just off Oleron Island.
Rose des Vents' captain, who was able to swim to shore following the incident, told local fire officials that their vessel was struck by a large wave, which then caused it to overturn. He and the only other crewmember, a 22-year-old deckhand, climbed onto the vessel's upturned hull shortly afterwards.
The captain said another large wave later struck the vessel and swept both himself and the deckhand overboard. However, only the captain managed to climb back aboard the hull while the deckhand disappeared.
A subsequent search operation by Good Samaritan vessels and helicopters concluded at around 12:30 when the missing deckhand was found unresponsive in the water. Tragically, he was pronounced deceased less than two hours later.