Explosion on board of French minelaying cruiser Pluton according to the Dutch newspaper De locomotief dated 17 September 1939

An item dated Ceuta, Spanish North African enclave 16 September referred to tidings from Casablanca reporting an explosion of board of the French mine laying cruiser  Pluton while loading mines. It was estimated that around 1.000 people were killed or wounded including 100 crew members. (1)

Note

1. Laid down by Arsenal de Lorient, France on 16 April 1928, launched on 10 April 1929, commissioned on 25 January 1932 and lost in an explosion on 13 September 1939. Lying at Casablanca, French Morocco she was unloading still-fuzed mines. The order to lay a minefield was cancelled on 5 September. Her remains were blown up between October 1952-July 1953.