Fighter jet crashes leaving pilot dangling on high voltage electric line

A Belgian military jet has crashed in western France and left a pilot caught on a high-voltage electricity line.

Both the F-16 pilot and co-pilot ejected before the crash and were not seriously harmed.

A large rescue involving 100 personnel attempted to free one of the pilots left dangling nearly 100ft in the air.

Fire crews managed to successfully disentangle him from the wires "safe and sound" just before 1pm.

The incident took place near the town of Pluvigner, Britanny, at around 10:30am local time, Le Telegramme reports.

Pictures from the scene show how the crash created a large fireball that sent plumes of thick black smoke into the air.

The town has been evacuated but no injuries have been reported amongst residents of the local area.

Witnesses said they heard a loud explosion before the aircraft plunged from the sky.

Local Patrick Kauffer said: "My wife was in the house and she heard a huge explosion, followed by a second, she went out into the garden and saw the plane on fire."

"Yes, we can say it's a miracle, the wing of the plane tore off some of the roof on the north side of our house, the damage is impressive: the trees and the shed were on fire when my wife was evacuated ".