On 19 September at 10:30 (UTC+2), a Belgian Air Force F-16 fighter jet registered FB-18 of the 2 Wing based at Florennes crashed near the town of Pluvigner, France, after suffering engine problems. The two pilots evacuated the aircraft using their ejections seats. A plume of black smoke was visible and rescue services immediately rushed to the crash site. The aircraft participated in an exercise.

One of the two pilots got stuck with his parachute on a power line and was rescued by the fire brigade. A crisis centre has been opened.

Before crashing, the wing of the F-16 tore off some parts of the roof of a nearby house. Patrick Kauffer’s wife was still in the house during the crash: “My wife was in the house and she heard a huge explosion. The next moment, she went into the garden and saw the aircraft on fire.” With all the inhabitants of the district, he was evacuated by the fire brigade and the police. The damage to the house is massive: the trees and the shed were on fire.

🔴 Bonne nouvelle, les 2 pilotes du F-16 qui s'est crashé ce matin à Pluvigner sont en vie indique la préfecture. L'un d'eux est suspendu à une ligne à haute tension par son parachute. 📷 Le Télégramme pic.twitter.com/oiL7fL7rEY — air plus news (@airplusnews) September 19, 2019

NEWS @BeAirForce – een van onze #F16 is verongelukt in de buurt van Lorient Frankrijk. De piloten hebben het vliegtuig verlaten met hun schietstoel. — Belgian Air Force🇧🇪 (@BeAirForce) September 19, 2019

NEWS @BeAirForce

– un de nos F16 s'est écrasé près de Lorient en France. Les pilotes ont quitté l'avion avec leurs sieges éjectables. — Belgian Air Force🇧🇪 (@BeAirForce) September 19, 2019