Hellcat
Conditions
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Marine forecast via Copernicus Marine. Score is a rule-based guide from swell/wind vs. the site's exposure — always dive your own assessment.
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About this site
The Hellcat is a sunken aircraft wreck lying between Le Lavandou and Cavalaire, in the waters off the French Riviera. It was a carrier-based fighter-bomber that went down on 14 May 1956 after the pilot misjudged altitude during a low-level maneuverability exercise intended to simulate a carrier landing; the 21-year-old pilot survived with a broken lumbar vertebra.
The wreck sits at around 57 metres (187 feet), placing it firmly in technical diving territory and requiring a CMAS 3* certification or equivalent.
Marine life here
Confirmed by our research team, reported by independent divers, or observed nearby via iNaturalist — each entry is labelled with its source.
Striped DolphinStenella coeruleoalbaReported here · unconfirmed
Common OctopusOctopus vulgarisReported here · unconfirmed
Striped Red MulletMullus surmuletusReported here · unconfirmed
Mediterranean DamselfishChromis chromisReported here · unconfirmed
Durable tips from divers — access, hazards, marine life, facilities. For day-of conditions, use the report tool in the conditions card above.
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