Skydiving plane crash in northeastern France kills 11, including instructors, novice jumpers, and pilot
Eleven people were killed Sunday when a skydiving aircraft crashed shortly after takeoff in northeastern France, authorities said, in what officials described as the country’s deadliest skydiving-related aviation disaster in decades.
The flight was carrying five experienced parachuting instructors, five novice jumpers, and the pilot. The group had been preparing for tandem skydiving jumps when the plane went down near the outskirts of Nancy, just about 300 meters from the runway.
Officials said the aircraft appeared to lose altitude abruptly after departing from Nancy-Essey airfield and came down less than a minute later near a residential area. Witnesses reported the plane banking sharply before crashing, while investigators said it “fell almost vertically” after what is believed to have been a mechanical malfunction.
Authorities confirmed that some family members were present nearby and witnessed the aircraft’s final moments, adding to the emotional toll of the tragedy. Emergency services said psychological support is being provided to relatives of the victims.
The crash site was cordoned off as investigators began examining the wreckage. The aircraft has been identified as a single-engine Pilatus PC-6, commonly used for skydiving operations and light transport.
Officials said the plane narrowly missed homes, and the impact could have been even more catastrophic had it occurred slightly closer to populated buildings.
The skydiving experience was intended to involve tandem jumps, in which instructors are harnessed with first-time jumpers during descent.
A full investigation is underway to determine the cause of the crash.
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