THIS is the terrifying moment two planes dramatically crashed into each other while performing a stunt – as both pilots and a passenger were forced to eject.
The extraordinary footage was captured by onlookers who were left frightened by the accident involving two Patrouille de France jets in Saint-Dizier.
@ludovicbarbier5This is the shocking moment just before two planes collide during an aerobatics drill in Saint-Dizier, France[/caption]
@babtoumechant / XTwo planes from the Patrouille de France collided during training[/caption]
puissancetelevision.frThe pilots and one passenger apparently had time to eject before their jets crash landed[/caption]
The incident occurred on March 25 at around 15:40pm near Air Base 113, during a training drill including seven Alpha Jets.
The Air Force team said that both pilots and one passenger were able to eject and were “found conscious”.
Minister of the Armed Forces Sebastien Lecornu said: “An accident involving two Alpha Jets has just occurred in eastern France.
“Emergency services are being mobilised.”
A witness explained: “They were performing a demonstration when two touched in flight.”
In the shocking social media footage, a handful of planes are seen descending as at least one of them falls and spins towards the ground.
Just before the collision, a plane can be seen approaching the one ahead of it, before it strikes the leading plane’s rear.
They were performing an acrobatic stunt while firing their iconic French white, red and blue smoke flares.
A pilot can also be seen falling alongside the plane and appears to eject themselves in time.
The pilot manages to deploy their parachute just in time, saving them from an almost certainly fatal fall.
One of the planes crashed into the Calin silos in Saint-Dizier, while the other is believed to have landed in a canal.
In the footage the planes partially disintegrated before hitting the floor.
At least three people were involved in the collision, including a pilot who was taken to hospital.
As a result of the crash, a company suffered damages to their building after the planes hit the ground.
The Calin company in Villiers-en-Lieu was affected by the crash and a fire started.
The Patrouille de France is a French Air Force aerobatic team responsible for plane stunts demonstrations.
They are effectively the French version of Britain’s famous Red Arrows stunt team.
The Patrouille de France’s demonstrations have taken place in Paris for national holidays such as the traditional Bastille Day, as well as in other parts of the world.
The crash involved two Alpha Jets, a trainer and ground attack aircraft that made its first flight in 1973.
It has been in service with the French Air Force since 1977 and from 1981 it has been the flagship aircraft of the Patrouille de France.
ReutersThe French airforce display team “Patrouille de France” flies over the Arc de Triomphe to start the traditional Bastille Day parade, July 14[/caption]
PAThe iconic British Red Arrows and their French equivalent, Patrouille De France performing a flypast of Paris and London in 2020[/caption]
Patrouille de France performs an exhibition maneuver at the Dubai Air Show, 18 NovemberEPA
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