Wreck of the Droits de l'Homme
- When
- 14–18 January 1797
- Where
- Sandbank near Plozévet, Brittany coast
- Part of
- Action of 13 January 1797
Battered and uncontrollable in rising winds, the French ship struck a sandbank near Plozévet at 07:00 on 14 January and was destroyed, killing roughly 900 of 1,300 aboard.
Damage inflicted by the more manoeuvrable British vessels was so severe that, as winds increased, the French crew lost control and the ship was swept onto a sandbar. Anchors failed to restrain her, and at 07:00, according to the French account, she struck a sandbank close to Plozévet. Of the 1,300 aboard, 103 died in the battle and just over 300 were saved, indicating approximately 900 deaths between the mornings of 14 and 18 January; a broader estimate gives 400–1,000 dead.
Sources
- Action of 13 January 1797 Wikipedia, revision of 2026-08-19
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