French fighter jet crashes near Nancy, one pilot confirmed dead

A French Air and Space Force Mirage 2000D fighter jet crashed on Tuesday evening, October 20, 2026, near the village of Rogéville in northeastern France. The aircraft, which belonged to the 133 Nancy-Oche air base and was part of the 2/3 Champagne Fighter Squadron, went down at approximately 22:40 local time. The French Ministry of the Armed Forces has confirmed that one crew member was found dead, while search and rescue operations for the second pilot remain ongoing.

According to Colonel David Papalardo, a spokesperson for the Air Force, the crew consisted of a young trainee pilot and a highly experienced officer. While Sigma Live News reported that the crash occurred during a training flight, Philenews reported that the aircraft was returning from an operational mission. Both judicial and aviation investigations have been launched to determine the causes and circumstances of the accident. The Mirage 2000D is a specialized two-seat ground-attack aircraft capable of flying in all weather conditions, both day and night.