Two French military jets collided in midair near Colombey-les-Belles, northeastern France, on Wednesday, killing two military personnel and leaving a sole survivor, French officials said.
France’s Army of Air and Space said they were returning from a refuelling mission in Germany.
In a post on X, French President Emmanuel Macron identified the fatalities in the Rafale aircraft accident as Captain Sebastien Mabire and Lieutenant Matthis Laurens.
French media said one of the two was a trainee pilot and the other a pilot. French Defence Minister Sebastien Lecornu said on X that the remaining pilot survived.
The planes were based at the Saint-Dizier military installation in northeastern France.

US, India agree on trade deal and lower tariffs, says Trump
Israel reopens Gaza's Rafah border crossing to Egypt, with limits
US envoy Witkoff to visit Israel, meet Netanyahu, Israeli officials say
Russian drone strike kills 12 miners in Ukraine
Singapore to launch space agency in response to global investment surge
Five-year-old boy returns to Minnesota after ICE release
Reopening of Gaza's Rafah crossing expected Monday
Winter storm death toll in United States reaches 90
