- On November 15, 2003, a gangway serving the Queen Mary 2 liner collapsed in Saint-Nazaire.
- The toll was terrible: 16 dead and 29 injured. Thousands of people, including the President of the Republic, then came to pay their respects.
“The entire region was affected by this tragedy. Saint Nazaire, the next day, it was a battered city, as if there had been a bombing. Everyone has a loved one, a friend, a neighbor who works at the construction sites », says Daniel Bartolomé, who lost his wife and father-in-law in the disaster. It was twenty years ago, to the day. On November 15, 2003, at 2:22 p.m., the gangway connecting the quay to the liner under construction Queen Mary 2 collapsed suddenly, dragging 45 people down about twenty meters.
Positioned in its immense concrete dry dock, the prestigious ship (it was at the time the largest liner in the world) built by Chantiers de l’Atlantique for the benefit of the British shipowner Cunard was then open to visits from employees and guests, just before its delivery. Despite the rapid intervention of a huge emergency deployment, sixteen people died in the accident and 29 others were injured.
This Wednesday, two ceremonies will take place at Saint Nazaire to commemorate this memory. Relatives of victims, united in an association, will be present. “Every year we lay a wreath,” explains Daniel Bartolomé, president of the association of victims’ families. There are some among us who would like us to stop commemorating. But this twentieth anniversary, we feel that it matters. It’s definitely special. It will also be a difficult time. »
“It turned out she was there…”
Now aged 75, this former teacher remembers “precisely” how he learned the terrible news. “I was listening to the radio and they announced that there had been an accident. At first, I didn’t realize it. I wasn’t worried because my wife wasn’t supposed to be there at that time. Finally, it turned out that she was there. I found out when I went there…”
The investigation demonstrated the existence of a design and assembly defect in the metal walkway. Chantiers de l’Atlantique and the Endel company, builder of the footbridge, had been ordered to 225,000 euros fine on appealwhile two Endel employees received suspended prison sentences.
“This amount of 225,000 euros represents an hour of work at Chantiers de l’Atlantique perhaps, it’s a drop in the bucket,” regrets Daniel Bartolomé. We were expecting something else. Almost all victims remain resentful after court decisions. We did not want revenge but simply recognition towards the missing and the survivors. »
THE Queen Mary 2 left Saint-Nazaire on December 22, 2003. In June 2017, he returned to the port city as part of the Franco-American event The Bridge. “It had awakened memories, that’s for sure,” recalls Daniel Bartolomé. But things were done in a very humane and respectful manner. I remember in particular captain of the Queen Mary 2, he came to greet us and apologize in the name of his majesty. It was strong. »