A skydiving plane crashed in eastern France on Sunday, resulting in the death of all 11 people on board. This marks one of the deadliest light aircraft accidents in the country’s history. The crash site was located near the Nancy-Essey aerodrome, close to a residential area and two roads.
The victims included five instructors, five students – who were identified as a group of nurses -, and the pilot. According to Yves Seguy, the prefect of Meurthe-et-Moselle department, this crash is one of the deadliest ever light aircraft accidents in France.
Mayor Mathieu Klein noted that the victims died “in full view of their loved ones,” who were preparing to film tandem skydives. Local authorities provided medical and psychological support for the relatives of the victims and other witnesses present at the scene.
The aircraft, registered in Germany, was chartered specifically for the skydiving weekend. The exact cause of the incident remains unclear, with a technical investigation being initiated by Amaury Lacote, deputy public prosecutor in Nancy.
French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez and Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot are expected to visit the scene later in the day. Police have urged social media users to avoid the area around the airport to facilitate emergency services’ access.