Overview
- Prosecutors in Brest confirmed late Friday that a third participant, 76, died in a Brest hospital after a cardiac arrest, bringing the toll to three.
- A group of eight people aged 60 to 75 was caught by powerful, tightly spaced breakers on Thursday at Blancs Sablons beach in Le Conquet, where two died on scene and five were injured.
- About forty firefighters, two medical helicopters and several ambulances responded, with maritime rescue coordination centers and sea rescue crews moving victims to hospitals in Brest.
- Authorities opened a judicial inquiry to pin down the causes, as officials described strong swell, gusts near 60–70 km/h, cold water and waves with little pause as key hazards.
- Local officials said the outing was not club-supervised, and the sport’s creator urged group sessions with trained leaders, proper gear and checks of weather and tides, with emergency calls directed to 196.