A tragic accident occurred on Sunday, September 20, during the 53rd edition of the Coupe Icare, a renowned international free flight festival held in the Chartreuse massif, France. A biplane delta crashed into a cliff just seconds after takeoff from Saint-Hilaire-du-Touvet in Isère, killing both occupants instantly. The victims were identified as Rhal Ssan, 29, a former Euronews journalist, and Nadège Chiffot, 45.
The accident took place at around 8 am at La Sapinière, with the delta plane experiencing technical difficulties shortly after liftoff before hitting the rocky wall. The emergency parachute was deployed but failed to prevent the impact. The Isère prefecture confirmed that a high mountain gendarmerie unit was dispatched to the scene, with four rescue workers airlifted to recover the bodies. An investigation was launched by the Grenoble prosecutor's office and entrusted to the air transport gendarmerie brigade.
Rhal Ssan, a Franco-British national, had previously worked as a journalist for Euronews, covering the Coupe Icare event. He later became a volunteer for the festival and was also an English teacher and lecturer at the University of Grenoble-Alpes for nearly two years. Born in England and previously based in London, Ssan had settled in Quaix-en-Chartreuse due to his passion for delta gliding and was a licensed member of the Savoie Delta Club.
According to Nicolas Dedisse, president of the Savoie Delta Club, Rhal Ssan was an experienced and skilled pilot who had organized his life around delta gliding. The club's president described Ssan as a dedicated enthusiast who had achieved a high level of expertise in the sport. Nadège Chiffot, from Chauffailles in Saône-et-Loire, had not yet obtained her pilot's license and was set to begin a training course the following week to complete her formation.
Chiffot was a long-time volunteer at the Coupe Icare festival, similar to Rhal Ssan, and was using the Sunday morning flight to gain experience alongside an experienced pilot. The festival's organization suspended its aerial program for the day following the accident and released a video in the evening paying tribute to the two victims. The Coupe Icare, founded in 1974, has grown into one of the world's largest gatherings of free flight enthusiasts.
The event regularly attracts hundreds of thousands of spectators over its six-day duration. The delta plane crash was a shock to the festival community, which came together to pay tribute to the victims. The investigation into the accident is ongoing, with authorities working to determine the cause of the technical difficulties that led to the crash.
The Coupe Icare festival has become a premier event in the world of free flight, showcasing the latest developments and techniques in the sport. The tragic accident serves as a reminder of the risks involved in delta gliding and the importance of safety measures. The legacy of Rhal Ssan and Nadège Chiffot will be remembered by the festival community.
Key points
- A former Euronews journalist, Rhal Ssan, and a passenger, Nadège Chiffot, died in a delta plane crash during the Coupe Icare festival in France.
- The accident occurred just seconds after takeoff, with the plane experiencing technical difficulties before hitting a cliff.
- The investigation into the crash is ongoing, with authorities working to determine the cause of the accident.
