Laying of a commemorative plaque on the wreck
After the ceremony, Hervé FAUVE was left with a question, shared by many families, and a final project in mind.
The question: Why did the Minerva sink?
The project: Place a commemorative plaque on the wreck.
In both cases, it was necessary to dive on the Minerve, at a depth of 2,300 m. The new maritime prefect of Toulon had told him that he was against it. A solution needed to be found.
This was not going to prevent the commander's son from achieving these two objectives.
After the discovery, what remains to be done
Hervé FAUVE had considered the idea, similar to what the Israelis had done on the wreck of their submarine Dakar, which disappeared two days before the Minerve, of placing a commemorative plaque on the Minerve. He had raised the matter with the maritime prefect during the ceremonies that followed the discovery, but was met with a firm refusal from the maritime prefect: "This is not part of the traditions of the French Navy."
The search for the cause of the disappearance was another matter. The Navy had no intention of pursuing it; its mission ended with the discovery of the wreck.
With the help of a large number of retired submariners who had scrutinized and commented on the images of the wreck , Hervé FAUVE quickly understood that they did not allow for this. Too many elements did not appear on any of them, and those that did appear did not always appear at an angle that allowed their examination.
It then seems obvious that a new dive on the Minerve is necessary. But how can you investigate a wreck at a depth of 2,300 m?