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The plane's remains

The crash site lies south of Atar, the second largest town in Mauritania. It is incredibly remote and takes 10-12 hours to reach by 4-wheeled drive vehicle. Access to the site is by walking or by camel. The remains of the aircraft had been used as a shed for storing tools for many years by a local inhabitant. When the Hermes crash-landed in 1952 the ground was relatively flat and firm, but today it is covered by enormous sand dunes, which have now completely covered the remains of the fuselage. Not much of the wreckage is visible, only the remains of the two engines that became separated at impact can be seen.