The disappearance of the Minerva seen by the media
A national drama
The impact of the drama in the media was considerable. All the press reported on it and followed the day-to-day progress of the search operations. even as the Navy had little hope left.
Many remember the journalist Léon Zitrone who opened the television news listing the number of hours of oxygen still available on board the submarine in the event that it would be stranded on the bottom.
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The themes of the press articles were the following (all in French):
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Sunday January 28:Announcement of the drama by AFP, announcement on television - To click HERE
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Monday 29 january:The press announces the tragedy
It describes the conditions of the drama and examines the fate of various members of the crew - to click HERE
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Tuesday, January 30:Detail of search operations
Publication of the list of missing persons - Announcement of Commander Cousteau's participation in search operations - to click HERE
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Wednesday January 31:The participation of Commander Cousteau
Diving on a wreck - Details of further research - to click HERE
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Thursday February 1:The end of hopes
There is no more hope, the oxygen reserves are exhausted - to click HERE
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Friday, February 2:Research is stopped
- Ceremony with wreath throwing at sea - to click HERE
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Some television reports from 1968 - to click HERE
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At the end of January 1968 the other current topics are:
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The disappearance of an Israeli submarine, the Dakar in the Mediterranean (it will be found in 1999)
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5 nations rugby tournament - France-Ireland on January 27 (France was going to achieve the first grand slam in its history)
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Inauguration JO Grenoble (we talk about the future performances of Jean-Claude Killy)
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The Vietnam War - Viet Cong offensive against the Americans.
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In China Mao Zedong decides to put an end to the turbulence of the Cultural Revolution which he himself started two years earlier.
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Clashes in Nanterre, Daniel Cohn Bendit is talked about for the first time.
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France evacuates the Mers el Kébir military base, the last French military presence in Algeria
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Death of Japanese painter Foujita
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The report on the Minerva from Paris Match in February 1968 ClickHERE
Slideshow (redacted) of Paris-Match ClickHERE
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