AVIATION
Rafale comes down to earth
Friday, December 7, 2007
A French air force Rafale jet fighter has crashed in the Correze department in the south of France. The pilot who was initially listed as missing has now been confirmed dead.
Friday, December 7, 2007
By AFP
A Rafale jet fighter of the French air force crashed in southern France Thursday evening and the pilot is reported as missing, the defence ministry said Friday.
The aircraft, which was not carrying arms, was on a training mission when it went down in an uninhabited area of the Correze department.
The ministry was unable to say if the pilot, described as highly experienced, had been able to use his ejector seat.
It was the first time a Rafale has crashed since the aircraft, built by Dassault Aviation, came into service in June 2006, the ministry said.
Rafales have recently flown in support of NATO operations in Afghanistan.
The aircraft, which was not carrying arms, was on a training mission when it went down in an uninhabited area of the Correze department.
The ministry was unable to say if the pilot, described as highly experienced, had been able to use his ejector seat.
It was the first time a Rafale has crashed since the aircraft, built by Dassault Aviation, came into service in June 2006, the ministry said.
Rafales have recently flown in support of NATO operations in Afghanistan.
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