Eleven people died after a civilian aircraft carrying skydivers crashed in the town of Tomblaine, eastern France.
The pilot and all ten passengers were killed, including five instructors and five first‑time skydivers.
The light aircraft was part of a parachuting school and had departed from Nancy‑Essey airfield before the crash occurred at around 11:00 local time, or 10:00 BST.
French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez announced an investigation by the Paris prosecutor’s office to determine the cause of the incident.
Some relatives witnessed the disaster, as they had gathered at the airfield to observe the first‑twin jumps. The mayor of nearby Nancy, Mathieu Klein, remarked that several victims died “in full view of their loved ones.”
Chaynesse Khirouni, president of the Meurthe‑et‑Moselle department, said that families suffered “considerable psychological trauma.”
Nuñez expressed “very strong emotion” upon visiting the site and praised the solidarity shown to the families, noting that medical and psychological support teams were already present.
The aircraft hit the ground near the airfield’s edge, close to a residential area and a shopping centre, but narrowly missed nearby houses. Prefect Yves Seguy told BFM that the plane had fallen “almost vertically, in the immediate vicinity of a housing estate.”
Half of the skydivers were nurses, according to local nursing organization president Thierry Pechey, who explained that they had sought relief from a demanding heatwave.
This crash represents the deadliest private plane accident in French history excluding military and commercial flights, according to AFP and the country’s BEA aviation safety agency.
A witness who did not wish to be named recalled seeing the plane veering to the right as he drove past. He reported, "Something was clearly wrong", and, though unable to see the impact due to an embankment, heard the crash.
He later attempted to help extinguish the fire mercilessly conflagrated. He observed that the wreckage had all died instantly, indicating a severe impact.
Tomblaine Mayor Hervé Feron noted the crash was “unexplained” and “too early to determine explanations.” He mentioned weather could have played a role but expressed uncertainty.
At the time, France was experiencing a severe heatwave, with an amber weather warning in force for Meurthe‑et‑Moselle on Sunday.
