A diver has been killed and another is missing after a cliff edge collapsed in a landslide and crashed onto a popular beach in southwest France. The incident occurred at Miramar beach in Biarritz, where two divers were buried under several tonnes of rocks and falling debris. The collapse happened at around 8:20pm yesterday during a record heatwave affecting France and western Europe.
Cliff collapse details
The cliff, measuring approximately 2,000 cubic tonnes, suddenly fell into the Atlantic Ocean, leaving the divers only seconds to react. One diver escaped unhurt, while the body of a woman was recovered hours later. Search and rescue teams continue to scour the sea for the missing person, who is feared dead.
Beachgoer Quentin Alberola told France Info: 'There was a thunderous sound, like an explosion, you could say. Everything collapsed, and a wave crashed onto the beach.' The beach has been cordoned off and closed to the public while the safety of the remaining cliffs is assessed.
Eyewitness accounts
An eyewitness said the third diver emerged from the water in a state of shock but otherwise unscathed. Vincent Pariset, a receptionist who was in the water on a paddleboard with his daughter, described the noise from the collapse as 'deafening.' He told news agency AFP: 'We were quite scared because we saw a whole section of the cliff collapse under the lighthouse, and it created a really impressive spray of water.'
Pariset noted there were no warning signs before the collapse. The cliff surrounds the Phare de Biarritz, an iconic lighthouse built in 1834 during the city’s heyday as a major summer resort frequented by European royalty.
Official response
Pyrénées-Atlantiques department officials said: 'Avoid the affected area, which is strictly off-limits until further notice. Do not hinder rescue operations.' The search for the missing diver continues as authorities assess the stability of the remaining cliffs.
