French Mirage 2000D fighter jet. Photo: Shutterstock A two-seat Mirage 2000D fighter jet crashed yesterday, October 20, at around 10:40 p.m., in the Rogéville area, in the Merte-et-Moselle region of northeastern France, while returning from a mission, the French army said this morning, October 21.
According to the official announcement, the plane had two crew members: a fighter pilot and a navigation and weapons systems officer (NOSA). One body was found at the crash site, but at the time of publication, the identification process had not yet been completed. Search forces are continuing their efforts to locate the other crew member.
The plane belongs to the Champagne fighter squadron, based at the 133rd Air Force Base in Nancy-Ouchy. The circumstances of the accident are still unknown, and the French announced that safety and legal investigations will be held to determine what led to the crash.
The Mirage 2000D is a fighter jet manufactured by the French company Dassault Aviation, which entered service in 1993 and is primarily intended for attack missions against ground targets.
The aircraft is designed to operate day and night, even in complex conditions, and can carry precision weapons, including laser-guided bombs and cruise missiles.
According to the French Ministry of the Armed Forces, the model aircraft are also used for air support missions for ground forces and for operations within the framework of joint military operations. As of the date of publication of the announcement, no further details were provided about the circumstances of the crash.