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Fighter jet vanishes from radar in eastern France Search for crew after Mirage fighter jet crashes in eastern France
(about 9 hours later)
A French Mirage 2000-D fighter jet has disappeared from radar in a mountainous region of eastern France, prompting fears it may have crashed. Rescuers in eastern France are searching for the two crew members of a fighter jet which crashed in a mountainous region on Wednesday.
French officials said the plane vanished from radar at around 11:00 local time (10:00 GMT) on Wednesday. The wreck of the Mirage 2000-D was found near Mignovillard in the Jura region, at an altitude of about 1,000 metres (3,280 feet).
It had taken off from the Nancy-Ochey air base shortly beforehand with two crew on board. It vanished from radar during the morning on a low-altitude training flight, AFP news agency reports.
The crew members have not made contact and a search operation has been launched, officials say. "We hope we'll find them alive," an air force spokesman said.
The plane vanished in the mountains between the regions of Doubs and Jura, near the eastern border with Switzerland. "At present they are reported missing."
Newspaper L'est Republican reports that debris was found in the area, including a parachute and map. There has been no contact with the pilot and navigator since the jet vanished.
It quoted one local resident who said they heard an explosion in the early morning - but believed it to be the sonic boom of an aircraft going faster than sound. The air force spokesman, Col Cyrille Duvivier, added that there had been no ejection signal.
Commenting on a report that a parachute had been found among the wreckage, he said it was too early to tell whether it had belonged to a crew member or the plane itself.
The plane vanished from radar at around 11:00 local time (10:00 GMT), shortly after taking off from the Nancy-Ochey air base.
The area has received heavy snowfall in recent days which, along with low visibility, could make the search operation more difficult, officials said.The area has received heavy snowfall in recent days which, along with low visibility, could make the search operation more difficult, officials said.
The temperature in the nearby town of Bonnevaux was -1C at 15:00 local time (14:00 GMT), with further snow showers expected.
The plane is understood to have been unarmed during its flight.The plane is understood to have been unarmed during its flight.