In La Baule, a jogger jumped into the water and fled by swimming to escape a police check as he braved the curfew.

Except that the police lost his trace and started a big rescue operation.

The jogger is unharmed, but was eventually fined.

It is an unusual story caused by the measures taken to fight against Covid-19.

In La Baule, a jogger is spotted by the police, when it is after 6 p.m. and the curfew is in effect.

The fifty-year-old took advantage of a pleasant sunset to do his sport.

>> Find Europe evening weekend in podcast and replay here

Control turns to panic

While the police were preparing to control him, the man took a tangent, accelerated to the seafront. Desperate to escape the fine of 135 euros, he even threw himself into the water and opt for a leak… by swimming.

The man finally stops more than 200 meters from the shore.

But the police are overwhelmed: night begins to fall slowly, the water is at 9 degrees, no one sees the jogger on the horizon.

>> READ ALSO

- Can jogging help spread the coronavirus epidemic?

The routine check then turns to the big rescue operation and two SNSM boats set sail. According to information from Europe 1, a helicopter was even about to take off from Rennes when the police received a call from the jogger's wife.

She explained that her husband made it home safe and sound two hours later.

But this chase did not allow him to escape the sanction: the athlete ended up paying his fine of 135 euros, accompanied by a summons to the police station.