Eleven people have been killed after a skydiving aircraft crashed in Tomblaine, eastern France, according to officials. The plane, operated by a parachute school, carried a pilot and ten passengers, all of whom died. Among the victims were five instructors and five nurses planning their first skydive as part of a team-building exercise.
Crash details and immediate response
The plane departed from Nancy-Essey airfield and crashed at around 11am local time (10am BST) near the airfield, narrowly missing nearby houses and a shopping centre. French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez confirmed that the Paris prosecutor's office has launched an investigation into the cause. Nuñez expressed "great solidarity" with the victims' families, who are receiving support from medical and psychological staff, and noted the "very strong emotion" at the crash site.
Several families had gathered at the airfield to watch the first-time jump and witnessed the crash. Mayor of Nancy Matthew Klein stated that some victims were killed "in full view of their loved ones," causing "considerable psychological trauma," according to another official. Yves Seguy, prefect of Meurthe-et-Moselle, added: "Give or take a few metres and the accident could have caused collateral casualties."
Victims and investigation
Half of those on board were nurses participating in a team-building activity to unwind, reported Thierry Pechey, president of a local nursing organisation. The crash is the worst private plane accident in France, according to the BEA aviation safety agency. One witness described the scene: "We saw right away that it was over, that they had all died instantly. There was no movement, and it was clear the impact had been too violent for there to be any survivors."
Questions about cause
Mayor of Tomblaine Hervé Feron said the plane fell from the sky "in a completely unexplained manner," adding that it was "too early to try to find explanations." He told BFM: "Weather conditions might have played a role, or perhaps not at all, I really have no idea." The investigation is ongoing.
