The German air force has said that two Eurofighter jets have collided in the northeast of the country, but the pilots were able to eject.

The jets were taking part in an air combat mission with a third Eurofighter plane, the German air force said.

“The pilot of the third Eurofighter observed the collision and reported that two parachutes descended to the ground,” a spokesperson said.

The planes collided shortly before 2pm on Monday near Lake Mueritz, about 100km north of Berlin.

They then crashed near the Laage military base in the eastern state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, after the two pilots ejected.

Rescue teams found one pilot alive in a forest, police officers said.

A search operation is underway to locate the second pilot.

A video posted online shortly after the accident showed two plumes of smoke rising from the ground.

The Schweriner Volkszeitung newspaper reported that falling wreckage caused forest fires and may also have hit inhabited areas.

Firefighters have been deployed to tackle any blazes caused by the accident.

Police officers also warned members of the public not to approach the crashed planes, as the wreckage could be dangerous.

(www.independent.co.uk)