A Mirage 2000D fighter jet crashed in eastern France while returning from a mission late Tuesday, killing at least one person, the Armed Forces Ministry said Wednesday.
The crew consisted of a fighter pilot and a weapons systems officer from the French Air and Space Force. One body has been recovered and a search for the second crew member is ongoing.
The plane went down at 9 p.m. GMT Tuesday near the town of Rogeville, about 18 kilometers (11 miles) northwest of the city of Nancy. Local prefect Yves Seguy told reporters that a wooded area where the plane crashed was searched overnight in adverse weather.
"It appears that at least one of the crew members was not able to eject," an air force spokesperson Col. David Papalardo, told franceinfo radio.
An investigation into the cause of the crash has been opened.
The plane was attached to the nearby 133 Nancy-Ochey air base. Col. Ludovic Humbert, the base commandant, said the weapons systems officer was a seasoned soldier who was teaming up with a young pilot. The plane had begun its final approach as it returned to base from a night training mission when the crash happened.
The Mirage 2000D specializes in ground-attack missions. A two-seat aircraft, it is designed to operate in complex environments, the ministry said. It supports conventional air operations and power-projection missions.