PARIS, Aug. 14 (Xinhua) -- French President Emmanuel Macron announced on Wednesday night that two pilots had died in an accident during a Rafale fighters' training mission earlier in the day.

"It is with great sadness that we learn of the deaths ... in an air accident during a Rafale training mission," said Macron on X, formerly Twitter.

Two Rafale fighter jets collided in midair before crashing to the ground in northeastern France on Wednesday at around 12:30 local time on return from a refuelling mission in Germany, said the French Air Force on X.

Two pilots were in one plane and one in the other. Earlier in the afternoon, the French authorities announced that the pilot who was alone in one plane was found safe and sound. ■