french mirage jet
A French fighter jet carrying two pilots disappeared from radar screens Wednesday near the Swiss border in a snowstorm, prompting an extensive search across the rugged, mountainous area.

The Mirage 2000D was last detected between the Doubs and Jura regions while on a low-altitude training flight, according to a French air force spokeswoman. It took off soon after 11 a.m. from the Nancy-Ochey air base in northeast France.

A search was immediately launched for signs of the plane and the crew, said the spokeswoman, who wasn't authorized to be publicly named.

Mountain rescuers, firefighters, police, military units and local residents joined the search effort, according to the regional administrations of Doubs and Jura. Visibility was extremely low, with heavy fog and snow.