Wine was being transferred between two tanks in a wine cooperative. The operation was supposed to be completed the following day. The worker left at 9 pm and left the transfer operation continue unsupervised. On 04/23 at 6 am, a pipe was found uncoupled from the discharge pump; 5,680 hl of white wine (an estimated loss of 2 MF) spilled into the Jurane (Gers-32), Izaute (Gers-32), Midour (Gers-32 & Landes-40) and Midouze (Landes-40) Rivers.

The quality of the water lowered (dissolved O2, pH, NH4+). Dead fish were observed in the Izaute on 04/23 and, on 04/26, a significant quantity of dead fish were also observed there and in the Midour. An estimated 7 to 9 tons of fish of all species were killed along 80 km of river.