A co-pilot is missing after he jumped out of a plane as it was making an emergency landing in France, authorities said.
The 32-year-old man taking a training class jumped into the sea as the Piper light aircraft was experiencing difficulties near a beach in Biscarrosse, southwest of Bordeaux, BBC News reported.
His instructor safely landed the plane on the beach, in a restricted military area used for missile testing, authorities said.
Helicopters and lifeguard speedboats were deployed to search for the trainee, but they were unable to locate him in the nearby waters.
The search was suspended Tuesday evening and resumed the following day.
Prosecutors said it was unclear what caused the aircraft trouble, but they are investigating the possibility that the plane lost oil or that the trainee took control of the flight, causing it to nosedive, the BBC reported.