Claude Guillemot, one of the five Guillemot brothers who founded Ubisoft in 1986, died in a plane crash Friday afternoon near La Baule-Escoublac aerodrome in Loire-Atlantique, France. The 69-year-old, who also served as Chairman and CEO of Guillemot Corporation, was one of two fatalities aboard a Cessna 421 that went down in a field during the landing approach.

The aircraft, registered to Guillemot and operated with a flight instructor on board, reportedly turned unexpectedly before impacting the ground and catching fire, according to statements from the local mayor and fire services. Sixty firefighters and thirty ambulances responded to the scene, though searches for additional victims proved negative; flags at the aerodrome were lowered to half-mast on June 20 in tribute. The cause remains under investigation.

Guillemot’s family was notified immediately, and the broader Guillemot family continues to hold significant shareholder control over Ubisoft amid the publisher’s ongoing restructuring and studio closures. This marks the passing of one of the original founders of a company now known for Assassin’s Creed and Far Cry.