French fighter jet crashes at sea, pilot killed

PARIS, Feb 19 (Reuters) A French fighter pilot was killed today when his jet crashed into the sea during a training mission to the Mediterranean island of Corsica, the French Air Force said.

The Mirage 2000 C, made by Dassault Aviation, crashed off the island's southern tip, near the city of Bonifacio, at around 1100 GMT, the air force said.

''The pilot, an experienced air force aviator, died,'' the air force said in a statement.

An investigation into the cause of the crash was being launched, the air force said.

REUTERS AB HT2130