2 fighter jets crash in northeastern France, search underway for two onboard

PARIS (AP) — Two French fighter jets collided and crashed Wednesday in northeastern France, French military authorities said. One pilot was found unharmed and a search is ongoing for two other people.

According to France’s Army of Air and Space, a branch of the French Armed Forces, two Rafale fighter aircraft collided while returning from a refueling mission in Germany and crashed near Colombey-les-Belles, a town in northeastern France.

The pilot of one plane was found unharmed, officials said. A search is underway for the two people onboard the second plane, reported by French broadcaster BFM to be an instructor and a trainee.

“One of the pilots has been found, he is safe and sound. The search is still ongoing,” French Minister of the Armed Forces Sébastien Lecornu wrote on social media. “We thank our armed forces as well as to the gendarmes mobilized in the search and in securing the area.”

The regional prefecture is appealing to members of the public to come forward with any information.