Historic boat sinks in Pornic and Corsican ponton dismantled amid safety concerns

A wooden fishing boat built in 1974 at Noirmoutier and later restored as a heritage vessel sank in the Vieux port of Pornic on 29 July 2026. The 7.13‑metre caseyeur, labelled a "boat of patrimonial interest" in 2013, was reportedly weakened by heat and drought, allowing water to enter its hull. Protection lines were deployed to guard against pollution while authorities noted the boat’s poor condition.

Separately, the landing pontoon at the Lotu beach in Corsica was taken out of service on 30 July 2026 and dismantled indefinitely. The Conservatoire du littoral cited the suspension of the last authorised passenger‑ship operator after a series of criminal fires that destroyed nine vessels in Saint‑Florent and led to the seizure of assets belonging to the remaining company, Spassighj'Agriate. With no regular traffic and pending investigations, the pontoon was removed to prevent risks and misuse.