Missing French submarine in 1968 discovered off southern coast

PARIS. KAZINFORM French Minister of Armed Forces Florence Parly on Monday announced that a wreckage of a French submarine reported missing more that five decades ago was discovered off the southern French port of Toulon, Xinhua reports.

«We have just found the Minerva. It's a success, a relief and a technical feat,» Parly wrote on Twitter.

«I am thinking of the families who have waited for this moment for so long,» she added.

According to BFMTV news channel, the Seabed Constructor, a boat belonging to private US company Ocean Infinity, discovered the Minerve 45 kilometres from Toulon at a depth of 2,370 meters.

The Minerve submarine was lost off France's southern coast with 52 sailors on board on Jan 17, 1968. Since then, several search operations have been launched, but the wreckage has not been found.

The reason of the incident remains unknown.