Four killed as French sightseeing planes collide

PARIS, Oct. 17 -- Two small sightseeing planes collided over the French coastal region of Charente-Maritime on Saturday, killing all four people on board, including the two pilots.

The accident occurred around 11 a.m, local time (1000 GMT), said Eleonore Lacroix, secretary of Charente-Maritime state office.

The cause of the accident was under investigation, Lacroix said, adding that French Transport Minister Dominique Bussereau was on his way to the spot.

It was the third plane accident in France within a week. On Monday, a Cessna 210 light plane plunged into the sea near the French island of Corsica. Six people, including the pilot, were rescued afterwards.

A day earlier, a Cessna 177 crashed in the Manche region, killing both people aboard.