Le sous-marin disparu
Summary
Hervé Fauve recounts the 1968 disappearance of the French submarine Minerve and his lifelong quest for the truth after his father’s death. He details the families’ struggle against military secrecy and public indifference, culminating in the 2019 discovery of the wreck. Fauve describes the emotional ceremony at the site and the subsequent analysis that identified a collision as the cause. This testimony highlights the power of family persistence in uncovering historical military tragedies.
Topics discussed
Introduction: The 1968 disappearance of the Minerve
Hervé's childhood and his father's naval career
The day the news of his father's death arrived
Media attention and the family's grief
Birth of a brother and the mother's remarriage
Family conflicts over the mother's new marriage
Reading the official report and school incidents
Meeting another victim's son at school
A false rumor about the wreck's discovery in the 90s
Contact with journalist and start of investigation
Interview with former Prime Minister Pierre Messmer
The 50th anniversary and the four survivors
Preparing for the 2018 commemoration ceremony
Creating a website and the surprise of the ceremony
Connecting with other families and lifting the secret
Reading the declassified dossier and meeting the producer
Publishing the manifest and gaining public support
The Navy's search and the announcement of the discovery
The 2019 ceremony above the wreck
Arranging the deep-sea dive with Victor Vescovo
The dive: placing the plaque at 2300 meters
The cause of the sinking and personal relief
Conclusion and podcast credits
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