A French Air Force Mirage 2000D fighter jet crashed in northeastern France while returning from a training mission, leaving one crew member dead and a second missing, the French Armed Forces Ministry said Wednesday.

The two-seat aircraft crashed at around 10:40 p.m. local time on Tuesday near Rogéville, in the Meurthe-et-Moselle department, northwest of Nancy, according to the ministry. The jet was assigned to the 2/3 “Champagne” fighter squadron based at Nancy-Ochey air base.

The aircraft was carrying two military personnel: a fighter pilot and a navigator responsible for weapons systems. French authorities said one body had been recovered, but its identity had yet to be formally confirmed. Search operations were continuing to locate the second crew member.

Search operations continue

Emergency services deployed substantial police and firefighting resources to the crash area between Rogéville, Domèvre-en-Haye and Tremblecourt.

Henry Lemoine, mayor of nearby Pont-à-Mousson, said aircraft debris had been located using a drone. A crisis coordination center was established in Rogéville as rescue teams continued their operations.

The search was complicated by adverse weather conditions and the wooded terrain around the crash site, according to French media reports.

Investigations launched into crash

The French Armed Forces Ministry said both judicial and safety investigations had been opened to establish the circumstances and cause of the accident. Authorities have not yet determined what caused the aircraft to crash.

The Mirage 2000D is a two-seat combat aircraft designed primarily for ground-attack missions. Operated by France’s Air and Space Force, it is equipped for missions in both day and night conditions.

The crash occurred as the aircraft was returning to its home base following a mission. No official cause has been announced, and investigators are expected to examine the circumstances surrounding the incident. (ILKHA)