Claude Guillemot, the 69-year-old co-founder of Ubisoft, died Friday when his Cessna 421 crashed on final approach to La Baule-Escoublac aerodrome in western France, killing him and a flight instructor on board. The twin-engine aircraft, registered to Guillemot, departed Rennes at 5:20 PM and went down shortly before 6:00 PM near the hamlet of La Bosse, several hundred meters from the runway, according to Ouest France.
Witnesses reported seeing the plane drop suddenly in a steep turn before impact. The crash ignited a fire that destroyed the aircraft and burned roughly 500 square meters of an adjacent field.
Guillemot was piloting the plane to a weekend aviation enthusiasts' gathering expected to host more than 100 light aircraft, reports indicate. The second victim, a flight instructor from Rennes, has not been officially named.
Emergency services deployed 63 firefighters and 29 specialized vehicles to the scene, Le Figaro reported. Investigators from France's Bureau d'Enquetes et d'Analyses for Civil Aviation Safety arrived to reconstruct the crash, and a K-9 unit was deployed to confirm no additional passengers were on board.
French authorities have opened an inquiry into the cause.
Ubisoft confirmed Guillemot's death in a statement.
"At Ubisoft, we deeply regret the passing of Claude Guillemot, co-founder of the group and president of Guillemot Corp., in an accident," the company said, as published by multiple outlets. "Our condolences to his family and loved ones during this difficult time.
No further statements will be made at this time."
Guillemot was one of five brothers who founded Ubisoft in 1986, transforming a family operation into one of the world's largest video game publishers. He served as CEO of Guillemot Corporation and sat on Ubisoft's board of directors.
Under the family's leadership, Ubisoft produced franchises including Assassin's Creed, Far Cry, Rayman, Prince of Persia, and Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege.
His death comes as Ubisoft navigates a difficult period marked by recent layoffs and studio closures, though the company confirmed it will make no further statements at this time.
