French Mirage jet fighter crashes in Niger

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French Mirage jet fighter crashes in Niger
France - Mali - Niger - Article published the Tuesday 10 June 2014 - Latest update : Tuesday 10 June 2014
By RFI

A French Mirage fighter jet has crashed in Niger on its return from a mission in Mali. The crew of two suffered no injuries, according to the French military.

Mirage 2000 jets on a base in Corsica - Reuters​

The Mirage 2000D crashed half way between Gao in the restive north of Mali and the Niger capital Niamey, where France has a military base.

"The crew was forced to eject following a technical failure," said French military spokesperson Gilles Jaron. "The pilot and navigator were retrieved safe and sound."

The plane, worth several millions euros, is one of six fighter jets being used by the French army in the region.

French troops were sent to Mali in January 2013 after an alliance of Tuareg separatists and Islamists took control of the north.
Defence Minister Jeran-Yves Le Drian last month announced that France will deploy 3,000 troops in the region to fight Islamist and other armed groups.

French Mirage jet fighter crashes in Niger - France - Mali - Niger - RFI

 

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French Mirage Fighter Jet Crashes in Niger

PARIS — A French Mirage 2000D fighter jet used to patrol the skies over Mali crashed in neighboring Niger due to a technical glitch, the army said Tuesday.

The two crew members ejected and survived uninjured.

The Mirage was flying back on Monday evening from a mission in Mali, where the French army has been fighting jihadist groups, and crashed half-way between Gao in Mali’s restive north and the Niger capital Niamey, where France has a military base.

“The crew was forced to eject following a technical failure,” said French military spokesman Gilles Jaron.

“The pilot and navigator were retrieved safe and sound.”

The plane, which was worth tens of millions of dollars, is one of six fighter jets being used by the French army in the region.

France sent troops to Mali in January 2013 to combat Islamist groups who had seized control of much of the vast desert north of the country. Around 1,600 French troops are still engaged in operations there.

French Mirage Fighter Jet Crashes in Niger | Defense News | defensenews.com