A tragic plane crash on Sunday in Tomblaine, eastern France, resulted in the deaths of all 11 individuals on board. Local authorities confirmed this as one of the most severe light aircraft accidents in French history.
Yves Seguy, prefect of the Meurthe-et-Moselle department, reported that among the deceased were five instructors, five students, and the pilot. The students were identified as nurses, according to a source linked to the case. This was confirmed by Thierry Pechey, head of Meurthe-et-Moselle’s nursing council, who explained that the colleagues had planned their first skydiving experience to unwind amidst a challenging heatwave.
Mathieu Klein, Mayor of Nancy city, expressed sorrow over the victims’ deaths witnessed by their loved ones poised to record their tandem skydiving feats. Local authorities ensured medical and psychological teams were available to support families and other eyewitnesses of the tragedy.
The wreckage showed the crash occurred in a grassy area near the Nancy-Essey aerodrome’s runway, perilously close to residential zones and roads. Tomblaine Mayor Herve Feron noted the unexplained crash during the aircraft’s ascent, describing the descent as direct and abrupt.
The Pilatus PC-6 aircraft was registered in Germany and had been chartered specifically as part of a skydiving weekend, a routine practice.
A technical probe into the accident’s causes is underway, led by Amaury Lacote, deputy public prosecutor in Nancy. Authorities are urging the public on social media to avoid the airport vicinity for unimpeded emergency operations.
French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez and Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot plan to visit the site later today.