New pictures reveal the desperate search for two missing pilots after two ￡129m French Rafale jets crashed in the skies on Wednesday.

       One instructor and a student pilot on the second jet are still missing, authorities have confirmed, while another pilot was ejected.

       The two supersonic jets were from the Saint-Dizier air base, an air force spokesman in Paris confirmed to AFP.

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       Defence Minister Sebastien Lecornu said on social media platform X: "One of the pilots was found safe and sound."

       He added that the search is "still underway" after the terrifying collision, and thanked the armed forces and police involved in the operation.

       It is not yet known what exactly caused the crash, which happened over the little town of Colombey-les-Belles in the north east of France.

       In January it was revealed that France ordered 42 Rafale fighter jets from Dassault Aviation worth more than ￡4.29bn - which boils down to around ￡129m each.

       It comes as French lawmakers have expressed huge concerns about a collaboration with Germany to develop a successor to the Rafale.