Skydiving plane crashes in French town, killing all on board
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Skydiving plane crashes in French town, killing all on board
Eleven killed as parachuting plane crashes near Nancy shortly after take-off
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A skydiving plane crashed in the northeastern French town of Tomblaine on Sunday, killing all 11 people on board in the deadliest general aviation accident in France’s recent history. The aircraft, a Pilatus registered in Germany, went down shortly after take-off at about 11:00 local time near Nancy, narrowly missing nearby homes in a residential area adjacent to a supermarket. Local officials confirmed the victims included five trainee skydivers, five instructors, and the pilot.
The crash occurred on Avenue Salvador Allende in Tomblaine, a suburb of Nancy, and left the community in shock. Residents described seeing the plane plunge from the sky just metres from houses, with some witnesses reporting that relatives of the victims were present at the nearby airfield when the tragedy unfolded. “Friends and families of the victims saw how it crashed,” said the mayor of Tomblaine, who expressed profound grief over the incident.
Among the dead were a group of nurses who were training to become skydivers, according to AFP reporting. The aircraft narrowly avoided a populated area, a detail that has spared the town from even greater devastation. French authorities have opened a technical investigation to determine the cause of the crash, though no immediate explanation has been provided. A deputy public prosecutor confirmed that the inquiry is underway.
The Pilatus aircraft, typically used for parachute jumps, was operated by a local parachuting school. Its registration in Germany has raised questions about oversight and safety protocols, though French investigators will lead the probe. The crash site, located in a mixed residential and commercial zone, has been cordoned off as authorities begin the grim task of recovering the victims.
French President Emmanuel Macron was briefed on the incident and offered condolences to the families of the victims. The tragedy has drawn international attention, with global media outlets highlighting the scale of the loss. In Sweden, where the crash was described as “horrifying,” local newspapers reported the deaths under banner headlines.
As France mourns, the investigation will focus on whether mechanical failure, pilot error, or other factors contributed to the disaster. The loss of 11 lives in a single incident underscores the risks of general aviation and the fragility of even routine operations. For the families of the victims, the grief is compounded by the suddenness of the tragedy—a moment frozen in time for a community that witnessed the plane’s final descent.
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