Illustration of a gendarmerie helicopter -

L. Venance / AFP

A deep concern then a great relief.

The gendarmerie was called upon this Sunday evening for the disturbing disappearance of two girls aged 7 and 8 in Vertou, near Nantes.

Around 5:30 p.m., two families were on a Sunday walk in the Portillon district, near the edges of Sèvre, when the two young girls, friends, were lost to follow-up by the group.

After fruitless searches and seeing night approaching, the parents sounded the alert about two hours later.

The police then quickly mobilized significant research resources: about twenty gendarmes on the ground, supported by reservists, a dog team from Vendée and a helicopter for aerial surveillance.

Lost on the banks of Sèvre

At around 9.45 p.m., the two girls were finally spotted by a patrol, safe and sound, near the Vertou racecourse, about one kilometer from the place of disappearance.

They explained that they got lost and continued their way along the river, a relatively busy route, and even "waved" to the helicopter.

The family had launched an appeal on social networks and several volunteers showed up spontaneously for the research.

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  • Disappearance

  • Gendarmerie

  • Nantes

  • Research