From a French newspaper today...

The French naval authorities report:

"A Focke-Wulf 190, German fighter from the Second World War who was to participate tomorrow in the Centennial of Naval Aviation airshow in Hyères (Var), crashed at sea today, but the pilot was uninjured.

The accident, which we do not know the origin, occurred at about 2:50 p.m. in the Bay of Hyères, 150 meters from the beach. The pilot, a French 63 years old whose identity was not released, returned to shore on his own after having managed to get out of the cockpit.

Unhurt, he was nevertheless supported by rescuers of the Naval Air Palyvestre base and placed under observation at the military hospital."

The Flugwerk 190 that ditched, was F-AZZJ, the one that has been the star of many European airshows over the past year. A terribly sad event, though it was great to know just as the news came up, that the pilot, Marc "Leon" Mathis, was just fine.