Two divers are lacking Biarritz after the collapse into the ocean of a “important” part of cliff close to the lighthouse and the Miramar seashore, very busy Wednesday night in opposition to a backdrop of heatwave, introduced the prefecture of Pyrénées-Atlantiques. The landslide of “round 2,000 m2” of rock occurred round 8:20 p.m. close to the seaside city’s lighthouse, the authorities stated, with out placing ahead any speculation as to its trigger.
“In line with preliminary data, three divers from the area have been in an space positioned on the foot of the cliff on the time of the landslide (…) Two of those divers are at the moment buried,” the prefecture wrote in a press launch. The third diver, “bodily unhurt however severely shocked”, was taken care of by emergency companies.
“We heard a giant increase”
“We heard a giant increase and we noticed the complete part of cliff which slipped and collapsed into the water. A man (…) escaped and he stated that there have been two folks round him” on the time of the collapse, a witness to the scene instructed the regional day by day South West. “There have been lots of people swimming alongside (the cliff) because it was low tide. »
The search, carried out by firefighters supported by specialised groups of divers and rescue groups in harmful environments, was nonetheless underway round 10 p.m., the prefecture stated. The world was banned from entry “till additional discover”, introduced the prefecture, and former rugby star Serge Blanco, elected mayor of Biarritz in March, visited the location.
