A French multirole Rafale fighter jet, during a routine training flight in the Haute-Loire department, snagged and severed a high-voltage power line. The incident, described by authorities as 'extremely rare', caused a two-hour power outage for about one hundred households. The aircraft, belonging to the French Air Force, returned safely to base and the crew was unharmed. Power services worked to restore electricity, and the military launched an investigation into the causes of the event.
Extremely rare incident
The French Air Force confirmed that the collision of a Rafale fighter jet with a power line occurred during a routine training flight. The accident was described as an event with a very low probability, highlighting the uniqueness of the situation.
Power supply interruption
As a result of damage to the high-voltage line, about one hundred households in the Haute-Loire region were deprived of electricity supply for about two hours. Power services immediately began repairing the damaged infrastructure.
Safe return of the crew
Despite the collision with the power line, the Rafale fighter jet safely returned to its base. Neither the pilot nor any potential second crew member sustained any injuries. The aircraft underwent standard control procedures.
Military investigation
The French armed forces launched an internal investigation to determine the exact causes and circumstances of the incident. The analysis aims to clarify how the military aircraft came into contact with ground-based power infrastructure.
During a routine training flight on Thursday, a French multirole Rafale fighter jet belonging to the French Air Force snagged and severed a high-voltage power line in the Haute-Loire department. The incident, which occurred during standard maneuvers, was immediately reported to the relevant services. The French Air Force, known as the Armée de l'Air, has operated a fleet of Rafale jets since the beginning of the 21st century. These aircraft are a key element of France's deterrence capability and participate in regular exercises over the country's territory, which requires strict coordination with civilian services managing airspace and ground infrastructure. The collision caused a power outage for about one hundred households in the area. The failure lasted about two hours, after which power services managed to restore full supply. Despite the serious nature of the event, the aircraft did not crash and safely returned to its base. The crew was unharmed. Representatives of the military and the power grid operator confirmed the crew's safety and the completion of repair work. The French Ministry of Defence and the Air Force command described the event as 'extremely rare'. An official spokesperson emphasized that safety procedures are at a very high level and that such incidents are absolute exceptions. The military launched an internal investigation aimed at precisely reconstructing the sequence of events and determining any potential procedural or technical errors. The services are checking, among other things, training flight routes and the altitudes at which they are conducted to prevent similar situations in the future.