Ubisoft co-founder Claude Guillemot killed in France plane crash

Claude Guillemot, one of the co-founders of French video game giant Ubisoft, has died in a small plane crash in western France, according to the company and local media reports. A second person was also killed in the accident.

The crash happened Friday afternoon when a small aircraft went down in a field near the airport in La Baule, a seaside town on France’s Atlantic coast, according to France 3, citing firefighters in Loire-Atlantique.

Firefighters said the aircraft was on fire when emergency crews arrived at the scene, with flames spreading to nearby vegetation. Both people on board were killed.

The aircraft was a Cessna 421, a twin-engine propeller plane with eight seats, according to La Baule Mayor Franck Louvrier, who spoke to Ici Loire Océan. The plane had departed from Rennes.

Guillemot, a 69-year-old businessman from Brittany, owned the aircraft and was expected in La Baule for a weekend gathering of more than 100 planes, France 3 reported.

Ouest-France identified the second victim as Marc Guillet, a seasoned flight instructor and pilot who was flying with Guillemot.

“Ubisoft has learned with profound sadness of the death of Claude Guillemot, co-founder of the Group and Chairman of Guillemot Corporation, in an accident,” the company said in a statement. “Our thoughts are with his family and loved ones during this difficult time. No further communication will be made at this stage.”

Guillemot co-founded Ubisoft with his brothers in the 1980s, helping build the company into one of the world’s best-known video game publishers. Ubisoft is behind major franchises including Assassin’s Creed, Far Cry, Just Dance and Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six.

Guillemot was also chairman of Guillemot Corporation, a French company known for video game accessories and hardware. Ubisoft said no further comment would be made at this stage.