Thousands of people packed a seafront promenade in western France on Monday to pay their respects to three ocean rescue volunteers killed in a storm last week, reports FRANCE 24.
The three local men died after their lifeboat capsized while they were coming to the assistance of a fisherman off the coast of Sables-d’Olonne, starting point for the round-the-world Golden Globe yacht race.
Four other rescuers managed to swim to safety.
The body of the fisherman, a retiree who was shrimping to boost his pension, has not been found.
President Emmanuel Macron on Saturday posthumously awarded the volunteers the Legion d’Honneur, France’s highest civilian honour.
The accident was the deadliest to hit the French ocean rescue service SNSM in over 30 years and plunged the sea-faring community into mourning.
A huge crowd took part in a silent march on Monday to the beach where the wrecked rescue boat was brought ashore. Many carried a single red or white rose which they planted in the sand.
A large group of SNSM volunteers, wearing trademark luminous orange jackets led the march and were applauded by residents for their service.