SAINT-DIZIER, France — Two French Air Force Alpha Jets from the Patrouille de France collided mid-air Tuesday afternoon while rehearsing an aerial stunt near Air Base 113, military officials confirmed.
Dramatic footage captured the aircraft performing synchronized maneuvers and emitting smoke trails before colliding. Both jets plummeted to the ground and were completely destroyed.
All three individuals onboard—two pilots and a passenger—ejected before impact. Emergency responders found them conscious, with two transported to a hospital in “relative emergency” condition. The third, suffering from multiple trauma injuries, is being treated by the Army, according to Le Figaro.
French Minister of the Armed Forces Sébastien Lecornu confirmed the accident in a statement on X, formerly Twitter, stating that emergency services have been mobilized and coordination is underway between the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of the Armed Forces.
One of the jets crashed into a silo at the Calin Concrete Company, igniting a fire. The second aircraft reportedly landed in a canal. Firefighters and police responded to the scene, working to contain the blaze. Authorities confirmed that no civilian casualties have been reported.
Witnesses described a loud explosion that shook nearby buildings. A local resident working at a dealership told Puissance Télévision that debris was seen falling from the sky. One of the pilots landed about 50 meters from the location and was immediately attended to by firefighters.
Authorities activated the Sater Plan, France’s emergency response system for downed military or civilian aircraft. An Air Force helicopter was deployed to search for debris.
Saint-Dizier Mayor Quentin Brière visited the crash site and urged residents to remain calm. He commended the professionalism of the pilots, emphasizing that their actions prevented further risk to civilians.
The French Aerobatic Patrol had scheduled air exercises from Monday to Friday, including a nighttime drill on Tuesday. It remains unclear whether training will continue as planned.
France has been using Alpha Jets to train Ukrainian pilots following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The accident raises concerns about aviation safety amid growing military cooperation.
In August 2024, two French pilots died in a mid-air collision involving Rafale fighter jets, marking another rare but tragic incident in France’s military aviation history.
