Two French fighter pilots killed in jet crash
During a military exercise in northern France, two Rafale fighter jets collided. Rescue teams could only recover two pilots dead. The air force urges the population to avoid the region.
In the collision of two combat aircraft in northeastern France, two pilots lost their lives. This was announced by French President Emmanuel Macron on the online service X. A third pilot was found alive after activating his ejector seat and leaving the plane in time. "He is healthy and safe," said the defense minister, Sébastien Lecornu, on X.
The search for the two pilots lasted several hours after the collision. Police and rescue services in the region supported the air force in the search for the missing persons. A spokesperson for the French air force confirmed on request that the aircraft involved were two Rafale combat aircraft.
Both aircraft took off from the air base of Saint-Dizier and later collided in the area of Colombey-les-Belles near Nancy. The prefecture of Meurthe-et-Moselle initially made no statements about the cause and circumstances of the accident. It called on the population via X to avoid the area.
Despite the collision being between Rafale fighter aircraft, the specific model of the lost pilots' planes was not disclosed in the official statements. Subsequent investigations were necessary to determine the exact cause of the unfortunate incident with the fighter aircraft.
