French trawler Maranello sinks off Plymouth coast leaving two fishermen missing
A French fishing vessel sank off the coast of Plymouth on Saturday evening, prompting a joint cross-Channel rescue operation that saved three crew members while two remain missing.
Sinking off the English coast
The French bottom trawler Maranello sank in the English Channel on the evening of Saturday, 29 August 2026, off the coast of Plymouth in southwest England. The fishing vessel was registered in Saint-Brieuc, located in the Côtes-d'Armor department of Brittany, and operated under the Eouzan-Travadon fishing company. Five crew members were aboard when the vessel encountered serious mechanical trouble southwest of the Eddystone Lighthouse. According to statements from French maritime authorities, a fishing net became entangled in the propeller and engine mechanism, which crippled the boat and caused it to founder. The crew broadcast an emergency distress signal shortly after 18:00 local time as water entered the vessel.
- The Maranello emits a distress call southwest of the Eddystone Lighthouse
- A nearby Saint-Brieuc trawler rescues three crew members before the vessel sinks
- HM Coastguard and RNLI lifeboats conduct an overnight search for two missing sailors
- French Falcon 50 aircraft and naval vessel La Garonne join British search teams
Immediate rescue of three crew members
Another French fishing trawler that was also registered in Saint-Brieuc was navigating in the immediate area when the distress call went out. The crew of the nearby vessel responded immediately and succeeded in pulling three of the five crewmen from the water before the Maranello sank completely. One of the rescued fishermen had suffered injuries during the sinking and was evacuated by helicopter directly to a hospital in England. The remaining two rescued crew members were brought to port in Plymouth to receive medical assessment and care on the quayside. Two sailors remained missing in the water following the loss of the vessel.
- Rescued
- 3 people
- Missing
- 2 people
Overnight search operation
Search and rescue operations began on Saturday evening under the primary coordination of British maritime authorities, including His Majesty's Coastguard and the Maritime and Coastguard Agency. British rescue coordinators directed emergency lifeboats and search helicopters to scour the waters off the southern English coast throughout the night.
His Majesty's Coastguard continued intensive searches overnight and they are continuing.
Fifteen vessels located in the surrounding maritime zone joined the search effort alongside official emergency teams. The operational response during the initial phase included four lifeboats from the Royal National Lifeboat Institution and four aircraft assigned to locate the two missing fishermen.
Joint cross-Channel mobilization
The cross-Channel search operation continued into Sunday morning with specialized military and civil assets deployed by both the United Kingdom and France. The French Navy contributed a Falcon 50 maritime surveillance aircraft, while the French naval vessel La Garonne joined surface search grids alongside several French fishing boats.
The deployed system in the area currently includes the French Navy Falcon 50, as well as two rescue lifeboats and two British aircraft.
French authorities coordinated their support with British rescue controllers through the Regional Operational Surveillance and Rescue Centres. Because strong tidal currents in the western English Channel risked carrying the missing fishermen toward open Atlantic waters, the Atlantic Maritime Prefecture assumed responsibility for overseeing and tracking the ongoing search mission on Sunday.
