Two French Air Force Rafale fighter jets crashed on the border between the Vosges and Meurthe-et-Moselle regions in eastern France.
The two aircraft belonged to the Rafale Transition Squadron 3/4 Aquitaine, located at BA 113 Saint-Dizier—Robinson Air Base. According to the French Air and Space Force, they were involved in a mid-air collision while returning from a refueling mission in Germany.
“An accident involving two Rafales from the Rafale 3/4 “Aquitaine” Transformation Squadron took place in Meurthe et Moselle,” the French Minister of Armed Forces Sébastien Lecornu said in a statement. “One of the pilots has been found, he is safe and sound. The search is still ongoing. Thanks to our armed forces as well as to the gendarmes mobilized in the search and to secure the area.”
The Meurthe-et-Moselle prefecture promptly activated the departmental operational center and initiated the SATER (air-land rescue) plan to support military forces in response to the incident.
“Aircraft accident in the Colombey sector: the departmental operational center is activated in support of the armed forces to coordinate the search,” the Meurthe-et-Moselle prefecture advised in a press release. “Avoid the area and follow the instructions of the authorities.”
A French Air Force source told Le Monde that two pilots were in one twin-seat Rafale B and one pilot in a single-seat Rafale C. The latter was found safe and sound.
French Armed Forces Minister Sebastian Lecornu, in a statement on social media, confirmed that the involved aircraft were Rafales and announced that the search for the two crew members, a lieutenant and a captain, is still underway. He stated: “An accident involving two Rafales from the Rafale 3/4 ‘Aquitaine’ Transformation Squadron took place in Meurthe et Moselle.”
He added: “One of the pilots has been found, he is safe and sound. The search is still ongoing. Thanks to our armed forces as well as to the gendarmes mobilised in the search and to secure the area.”
Drones are now being used to aid the extensive search efforts as emergency teams work tirelessly to locate the missing individuals.
