Two military personnel have died after two French military jets collided in midair over the east of the country’s east, French officials said.
One pilot ejected following the crash over northeastern France, but an instructor and a student pilot on the second jet were killed.
In a post on X, French President Emmanuel Macron said the two who died in the Rafale aircraft incident were Captain Sebastien Mabire and Lieutenant Matthis Laurens.
It was not immediately clear what caused the collision that authorities said occurred over Colombey-les-Belles.
“The military authorities will report on the causes of the accident”, said the local prefecture.
The Rafale “multi-role” fighter – used to hunt enemy planes, strike ground and sea targets, carry out reconnaissance and transport France’s nuclear warheads – has become a bestseller for the French arms industry.
Accidents involving Rafale jets are rare.
In December 2007, a Rafale jet crashed near Neuvic in southwestern France. Investigators concluded that the pilot had become disorientated in what is believed to have been the first crash of the aircraft.
In September 2009, two Rafale jets went down as they flew back to aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle off the coast of Perpignan after completing a test flight. One pilot died.
France has sold the Rafale to Egypt, India, Greece, Indonesia, Croatia, Qatar and United Arab Emirates.