A light aircraft carrying skydivers crashed shortly after take-off near the town of Tomblaine in eastern France on Sunday, killing all 11 people on board. The aircraft, operated by a local parachuting school, departed from Nancy-Essey airfield at around 11:00 a.m. local time before suddenly losing control and crashing near the edge of the airfield. The victims included the pilot, five skydiving instructors, and five people preparing for their first tandem jump.

French authorities have launched an investigation to determine the cause of the crash. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said several relatives had gathered at the airfield to witness the first-time jumps and tragically saw the aircraft go down. Medical and psychological support teams were deployed to assist grieving families and witnesses. Officials also noted that the aircraft narrowly missed a nearby residential area and shopping centre, preventing further loss of life.

Witnesses reported seeing the plane veer sharply before plunging almost vertically and bursting into flames on impact. While eastern France was under a heatwave warning at the time, investigators have not confirmed whether weather conditions played any role in the accident. Aviation authorities described the incident as the deadliest crash involving a private civilian aircraft in France’s history, excluding commercial and military aviation, as investigators continue examining the wreckage for clues.

Pic courtesy: google/ images are subject to copyright