Near Saint-Dizier, France, two Dassault Alpha Jet aircraft belonging to the Patrouille de France aerobatic team collided mid-air during a rehearsal. French Armed Forces Minister Sébastien Lecornu confirmed on social media that the incident occurred during a performance rehearsal and that emergency services were swiftly dispatched to the scene.
Post-Crash Developments
A spokesperson for the French Air and Space Force stated that one of the aircraft crashed into a nearby industrial facility, causing a fire. The other plane reportedly fell into a canal. It was confirmed that two pilots and a passenger managed to eject safely using their ejection seats and remained conscious.
Similar Past Incidents
The Saint-Dizier region, where the accident took place, is located near the 113th Air Base, one of France’s key military installations. This base houses Dassault Rafale squadrons. A similar mid-air collision was recorded at this base in 2024.
Deux avions de la patrouille de France se sont crashés non loin de Saint-Dizier. Les pilotes ont eu les temps de s’éjecter apparemment @afpfr #avion #crash #patrouilledefrance #saintdizier #villiersenlieu @AlertesInfos pic.twitter.com/yFgjhRip5M
— ludovic barbier (@ludovicbarbier5) March 25, 2025
About Patrouille de France
The French Patrouille de France aerobatic team traces its roots back to 1931 and has been performing with Dassault/Dornier Alpha Jet aircraft since 1981. One of the team’s most renowned displays takes place over Paris on Bastille Day, where they create the French flag’s red, white, and blue colors in the sky with smoke trails.
Patrouille de France shares similarities with other world-famous aerobatic teams such as the Royal Air Force’s Red Arrows and the Italian Air Force’s Frecce Tricolori.
