One pilot ejected safely after the crash, but authorities launched an emergency search for the two remaining individuals, including an instructor and a student on the second aircraft.
Two French Rafale fighter jets. Photo: AFP
President Macron shared on X (formerly Twitter): "We are saddened by the loss of Captain Sebastien Mabire and Lieutenant Matthis Laurens during a training mission with a Rafale aircraft."
French Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu said the cause of the accident was still unclear and they were awaiting reports from military agencies.
A strange noise was heard near midday in Colombey-les-Belles, a town in northeastern France, unlike the usual sound of an aircraft exceeding the speed of sound, according to the town's deputy mayor.
Accidents involving Rafale aircraft are rare, although there have been a few in the past. The Rafale is a multirole fighter jet, used for a variety of purposes, from hunting enemy aircraft and attacking targets on land and at sea, to carrying nuclear warheads.
France has sold Rafale aircraft to numerous countries including Egypt, India, Greece, Indonesia, Croatia, Qatar, and the UAE, and continues to order more aircraft to enhance its defense capabilities.
Hong Hanh (according to AFP)
Source: https://www.congluan.vn/cuong-kich-rafale-cua-phap-va-cham-giua-khong-trung-hai-phi-cong-phap-tu-nan-post307754.html
