Plane crashes into sea in front of horrified onlookers at French air show, Patrouille de France, killing pilot

A pilot has died after a horrific crash at French air show held to mark the anniversary of a Second World War milestone. Horrified spectators looked on as the aircraft - believed to be a private Fouga Magister - crash into the sea at the Patrouille de France, a display organised to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Allies landing in Provence in 1944.

It was taking place at Le Lavandou, near Saint Tropez, in the south east of France, with the Magister used by the French Air Force between 1964 and 1980. The show has been called off as an investigation into the 'tragic circumstances' gets underway, local authorities said.

"The body of the pilot has been recovered," a spokesperson for the Prefect du Var, the local authority responsible for the Var region in southern France, said. "The prefect of Var, the maritime prefect and the mayor of Lavandou present their condolences to the pilot's family."

The French Air Force confirmed the crash did not involve an aircraft from the Patrouille de France aerobatics team - the equivalent of the Red Arrows which was due to perform, according to Reuters. A spokesperson said: "The pilots and the entire Air Force community would like to express their solidarity at this difficult time."

The rescue operations to find the pilot were coordinated by the Mediterranean Regional Operational Surveillance and Rescue Centre (CROSS). A spokesperson for the district of Var added: “Resources from the Var Departmental Fire and Rescue Service and the Maritime Gendarmerie are deployed in the area."

Hundreds had gathered for the event, marking 80 years since the landings - known as Operation Dragoon - which saw Allied forces launch an invasion of the region on August 15, 1944. The Provence Landings were planned as part of Operation Overlord - which launched on D-Day, June 6, 1944 - but was delayed due to a lack of resources.