French aerobatic jets crash after mid-air collision during rehearsal

Two jets from the French Air and Space Force collided during a training exercise on Tuesday afternoon in eastern France, prompting a major emergency response. All three occupants aboard the aircraft safely ejected, according to officials.

The incident involved two Dassault/Dornier Alpha Jets from the Patrouille de France, the French Air Force’s precision aerobatic team. The collision occurred just before 4 p.m. local time during rehearsal maneuvers near Air Base 113 in Saint-Dizier, according to French Armed Forces Minister Sébastien Lecornu.

The two pilots and a third occupant—who was a passenger aboard one of the aircraft—successfully ejected and survived the crash. Lecornu said all three sustained minor injuries and are receiving medical treatment.

Saint-Dizier Mayor Quentin Brière confirmed that the jets crashed in uninhabited areas. One aircraft came down in a marshy, forested zone, while the second impacted part of a cement plant located in an industrial area. Both aircraft were destroyed.

Eyewitness footage captured the moment of the mid-air collision and subsequent crashes. Videos show at least six aircraft flying in close formation, releasing smoke in the colors of the French flag. During a coordinated maneuver, one jet appears to clip the rear of another. A small fire and debris are visible immediately following the collision.

The pilots are seen ejecting moments before the jets hit the ground. One aircraft can be seen crashing into the cement plant, resulting in a fireball and a blaze.

Tuesday’s incident comes after a previous mid-air collision involving French Air Force Rafale jets in the same region. In August 2024, two Rafales from the 113 Air Base collided while returning from a refueling mission in Germany. Two crew members were killed, and a third survived.