Around 2 p.m. on Tuesday August 15, the plane suddenly disappeared from the radar screens. After an intensive search, the debris from the aircraft, a single engine Robin DR 400were discovered around 7 p.m. in Lavau-sur-Loire, between Nantes and Saint-Nazaire, according to the revelations of Presse-Océan.
Available information indicates that at least one body was found among the debris. The plane was carrying three people, including Gérard Leclerc, and had left Loudun, in Vienne, towards La Baule. Contact with the aircraft and its passengers was lost around 2 p.m.
At the beginning of the afternoon, the authorities had activated the SATER (Aero-Terrestrial Rescue) plan, establishing a checkpoint in Lavau-sur-Loire to coordinate search operations, combining land and air resources.
Gérard Leclerc, a brilliant career
Gérard Leclerc, half-brother of Julien Clerc, leaves behind three children after his disappearance in the crash. Married to radio host Julie Leclerc, he was a well-known media man. Originally from the Vienne region, he owned a vineyard in Trois-Moutiers and it was from there that he took off on August 15, 2023.
At 71, he had built a remarkable career in radio and television. After his studies at Sciences-Po Paris, he started at European 1 in the 1970s before joining France 2 in 1985. His face became familiar, moving from the role of reporter to presenter, editor and political columnist.
After more than fifteen years on France 2it integrates France 3then took the helm of LCP in 2009. In 2015, he joined CNews as an editorialist, thus marking a diversified career within the French media landscape.
Opening an investigation
According to someone close to Gérard Leclerc, he was a experienced pilot. On the day of the tragedy, he was piloting a flying club plane with two passengers on board. Notably, one of them was the daughter of the former president of the Senate Rene Monoryoriginally from Loudun.
A judicial inquiry has been launched to determine the circumstances of the accident. THE Bureau of Investigation and Analysis for Civil Aviation Safety (BEA) dispatched several investigators to the scene to conduct the investigation.
