History of the sinking of CATALINA in Monaco

August 15th, 1972 at 12:50 am, American twin-engined amphibian aircraft CATALINA, registered N 19 Q crashed in the sea in approximately 1000 m of the » Pointe de la Vieille » in Monaco territorial waters.

The first help got organized at once, the speed boats of the Naval police, of the Service of the Port as well as private individuals’ diverse boats went on towards the wreck. Temporary, safe five passengers were assisted and went safe back on the ground.

The aircraft belonged to Mr. James Stewart, American, who travelled with his wife and a friend. There was a pilot, Mr. John D . Callahan and a co-pilot Mr. Don Beatty, both Americans. The plane arrived from Malaga (Spain) and had to allow Mr. and Mrs James Stewart and their friend to go to the invitation party of the A.M.A.D.E in Monte Carlo. The crash is based according to the pilot to meteorological bad conditions, in particular a wind very strong mistral which did not allow a sea landing as he wanted to do.

All the luggage of the travelers was got back by the Naval police and restored to their owners. The refloating was envisaged but its cost with the insurance company returned this impossible operation.

On August 18th, 1972, Mister James Stewart gave up the property right of his plane and so abandoned it in the maritime public domain of the Principality of Monaco.
Mr. James Stewart is an industrialist native of the Minesota (United States), been born in 1922. It is not about the actor of the same name been born in 1908 and died in 1997.

The plane is put on the back in 58 meters down today. The exact location(localization) of the wreck is:

Length: 7 ° 26 ‘ 40 «
Lat.: 43 ° 44 ‘ 24