Divers at the scene of the Air New Zealand Airbus crash have recovered a third body and the second black box recorder.
The search for more bodies and clues will resume shortly, now that dawn is about to break in the south of France.
It has been an emotional 24 hours for two families who, just a few hours ago, left this port to travel out to sea to the place where seven men, including five Kiwis, lost their lives.
Investigators found the A320's cockpit and next to it, the remains of a third man. They also have both black boxes, but so far they have been unable to access the information they contain.
Bill Marsh's son Noel, one of those killed in the accident, was married with two children - with a third on the way.
"I've lost parents and you go through that, but losing a son is actually something different again," he says. "You never expect to bury your own children and that's probably going to be the hardest thing we've ever had to do in our lives."
The second of the two black boxes was reportedly buried in 30cm of mud.
Authorities told 3 News today both flight recorders were badly damaged in the crash, and so far attempts to access the data they contain have proved futile.
Relatives and Air NZ staff were taken to the crash site today, a tough but necessary journey for Emma Gould, partner of Auckland engineer Murray White.
"I figure Murray's done the hardest part by being in the accident, so me going out to sea - that's nothing really compared to what he's gone through," says Ms Gould.
The families asked to be left alone at sea, to remember the men they will miss for the rest of their lives.
At the point where the plane went down Ms Gould will place small handwritten notes with messages from friends and family back home, while the parents of Mr Marsh will release red roses and white lilies into the sea at the request of his pregnant wife Tracey. They were the flowers they had at their wedding.
Relatives have been told to prepare for the worst, as it may not be possible for their sons, brothers, partners or husbands to return to New Zealand, but for the moment they will remain in France - and wait and hope.
3 News