A Mirage 2000D fighter jet of the French Air Force crashed in France while returning from a mission. The body of one crew member has been found at the crash site, infohub.kz reports.
The aircraft, from Nancy-Ochey Air Base 133, went down near Rogéville in the Meurthe-et-Moselle department. According to a publication cited by Le Monde, the French Air and Space Force said the crash occurred on Tuesday, September 20, as the jet was returning from a mission.
The identity of the deceased crew member has not yet been established. The search for the second service member — either the pilot or the weapons systems operator — is continuing.
The downed aircraft belonged to Fighter Squadron 2/3 "Champagne." A flight safety investigation and a judicial inquiry have been opened to determine the cause of the crash.
Henri Lemoine, mayor of Pont-à-Mousson, said the wreckage was located with the help of a drone. According to Pascal Doyotte, mayor of Rogéville, witnesses heard a loud explosion and saw a fireball.
Firefighters and rescue services from the Meurthe-et-Moselle department, Air Force specialists and gendarmes are taking part in the search operation. The area, which includes fields and forests, is also being surveyed from a helicopter.