French Airforce Crash

[Taildragger]

Breaking news has it that a French Air Force aircraft has crashed during a parachute exercise. Any further.?

[Global Pilot]

From www.sky.com

NO much more than you have heard...

"FRENCH JET CRASHES


A French airforce plane has crashed with an unknown number of people on board, police say.

The plane was taking part in a parachute training exercise in the south of the country when it came down."

[Duckbutt]

(In French):

http://actu.voila.fr/Article/article_une_031217120244.5hek296d.html

[Taildragger]

From Duckbutt's URL, I can see it is a Casa with a French Civil registration, but it is reported as a Military Aircraft.
Perhaps like the UK Parachute Regiment's Red Devil Islander.??

[Top Bunk Tester]

17-12-2003 A military transport aircraft, carrying seven people, taking part in a parachuting exercise, crashed on Wednesday morning near the Peak of Pioulou in Ariège, in the valley of Vicdessos.

The gendarmes on the scene have only found two bodies, as well as the plane, a CASA.

The accident occurred little after 10:30 near the Peak of Pioulou in an innaccessible zone by foot.

Two police helicopters and one army helicopter are involved in the search.



Blue skies RIP

[Top Bunk Tester]

SKYNEWS - FRENCH AIRFORCE JET(?) CRASH KILLS SIX

At least six people have been killed after a military plane crashed in southwestern France.

Local authorities in the Ariege region said police had found six bodies and were still looking for a seventh.

The plane was reportedly taking part in a parachute training exercise before it crashed.

LCI television network said seven people were believed to have been on board when the aircraft went down in the Ariege region of southern France, near the Spanish border.

The aircraft took off from the city of Toulouse at around 11am, a spokesman from a regional rescue unit said.

The French Army has confirmed the crash but has released no other details.

[Regie Mental]

From another list:

The crash happened during a training exercise in the rugged Ariege region near the Spanish border, a statement released by President Jacques Chirac's office said on Wednesday.

"The president has learnt with great sadness of the crash of a
transport aircraft that cost the lives of seven soldiers," the
statement said.

"This accident is a tragic reminder of the tough demands of the army profession and the risks it involves," it added.

A team of paratroopers being carried by the Casa CN 235 transport plane managed to jump out before the crash, a spokesman for civil security authorities in Paris said.

RM

[tropppo]

In english:

http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_848068.html?menu=
The lady was one of the pilots.