Belgian F-16 fighter jet crashes in France, pilots eject, one hits power line – report

19 Sep, 2019 10:59 / Updated 5 years ago

A Belgian F-16 fighter jet crashed near the town of Lorient in northwestern France on Thursday, the Belgian Air Force said. Both pilots ejected from the aircraft, the military tweeted.

The fighter jet crashed on a road in western France and one of its pilots was hanging from a high-voltage electricity line after his parachute got caught, AP reported, citing French authorities.

No injuries have been reported. Surrounding homes have been evacuated as emergency workers were trying to extract the suspended pilot safely.

The plane was traveling from Belgium to a naval air base in France when it came down between the towns of Pluvigner and Landaul, in Brittany, according to the regional prefecture. Two pilots were aboard, and both ejected before the crash. One was safely rescued but the other got stuck on the power line. The plane itself was not armed.