1938-02-09

Crash site Marignane/Berre seaplane base
Airline Air France
Aircraft Lioré-et-Olivier H-242  –  F-ANPB  –  Ville de Bône
Route Marignane  –  Ajaccio, Corse  –  Tunis
Crew 5  –  2 survivors
Passengers 9  –  4 survivors

 

The crash

The flying boat took off from the seaplane base at 07:30 in the morning in thick fog. Due to hard sidewind the plane was blown off course and crashed into a breakwater, which the pilot was unable to see because of the poor visibility. As the speed was high the plane was totally destroyed as it caught fire and sank.

 

 

The mail

At least some of the mail was salvaged. The mail was brought to Marseilles for further processing.
Only one Nordic items has been recorded

 

 

A.
French handstamp.
Black.
Size: 51 x 21 mm.

Translation:
Airplane Accident
Correspondence salvaged from the sea
DO NOT TAX

 

 

 

Examples of mail

Cover from Denmark postmarked BRØNSHØJ 7.2.37 addressed to a Danish sailor onboard the ship M/S TUNIS in Tunisia. It seems as if he had left as the cover is readdressed. The cover show the usual French crash handstamp type A. On the back is a French transit postmark of PARIS AVION 8.II.1938 and also a postmark of Marseilles 14.II.1938.
Thiesen Collection.