Photo: Wikipedia.com/askveer
File this under “stuff happens to the best of us, and it’s not always something to be proud of.” Two French Rafale military jets caused quite a bit of drama in Southern France this week by flying straight through the power lines.
According to La Provence, the incident left the small village of Le Castellet without power for several hours. The mayor of the village, Benoît Gouin, was at the wheel of his car when it happened, and was able to give a first-person account to the publication.
He says he saw the first jet and thought to himself that it was flying too low. The second one convinced him that, indeed, they were flying too close to the ground; he hadn’t just imagined it.
The report notes that both Rafale jets, which had taken off from the nearby military base for a training exercise, were traveling at some 80 meters (262.5 feet) above the ground, which, sure enough, is waaaay too low. One of them ripped through the power lines, with Mr. Gouin finding them sectioned farther down the road. He immediately alerted the competent authorities, he says.
In a statement, the French Air Force confirms the incident, laments it, and, in a way, urges everyone to look on the bright side. That would be that no one was injured and that both jets were able to return safely to base – the one that cut through the power lines making a quicker landing than scheduled.
The incident, the statement further says, is “extremely rare.” “There was no damage, except the inconvenience,” it adds. The Air Force “deplores” it, and an investigation has been launched.
The village only went without power for a few hours, which is like a walk in the park to what Texans are going through right now.
He says he saw the first jet and thought to himself that it was flying too low. The second one convinced him that, indeed, they were flying too close to the ground; he hadn’t just imagined it.
The report notes that both Rafale jets, which had taken off from the nearby military base for a training exercise, were traveling at some 80 meters (262.5 feet) above the ground, which, sure enough, is waaaay too low. One of them ripped through the power lines, with Mr. Gouin finding them sectioned farther down the road. He immediately alerted the competent authorities, he says.
In a statement, the French Air Force confirms the incident, laments it, and, in a way, urges everyone to look on the bright side. That would be that no one was injured and that both jets were able to return safely to base – the one that cut through the power lines making a quicker landing than scheduled.
The incident, the statement further says, is “extremely rare.” “There was no damage, except the inconvenience,” it adds. The Air Force “deplores” it, and an investigation has been launched.
The village only went without power for a few hours, which is like a walk in the park to what Texans are going through right now.
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