SouthernWorldwide.com – A tragic plane crash occurred in northeastern France on Sunday, claiming the lives of all 11 individuals on board. The aircraft was carrying participants for a skydiving activity when it went down shortly after departing from Nancy-Essey Airport.
The Meurthe-et-Moselle Prefecture confirmed the incident via X, stating that the operational command center for the department was immediately activated. The victims were identified as five parachuting instructors, five novice jumpers preparing for tandem skydives, and the pilot.
Prefect Yves Séguy informed reporters that the aircraft experienced a malfunction and descended almost vertically. He noted that the plane narrowly missed a populated area, a near miss that could have resulted in significant collateral casualties had it landed mere dozens of meters away.
Flight tracking data from Flightradar24 indicated that the single-engine Pilatus PC-6 banked sharply to the left shortly after takeoff. The crash occurred less than a minute later, in close proximity to residential homes and approximately 300 yards from the runway.
Interior Minister Laurent Nunez and Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot visited the crash site. They met with local officials and emergency responders, with Nunez expressing “immense emotion” and commending the swift and coordinated efforts of firefighters, emergency personnel, police, gendarmerie, and civil security teams.
A medico-psychological emergency unit was deployed to provide support to the loved ones of the victims and witnesses of the tragic event. Officials confirmed that some family members who were present at the airport to see off the jumpers witnessed the crash firsthand.
Nunez stated that an investigation has been launched to determine the cause of the crash. The probe is being directed by the Paris prosecutor’s office and is being handled by the investigative unit of the Air Transport Gendarmerie.
Transport Minister Tabarot described the incident as a “terrible tragedy” and extended his deepest condolences to the families of those lost. He traveled to the scene with Nunez.
In a subsequent post on X, Tabarot mentioned that investigators from France’s Bureau d’Enquêtes et d’Analyses had visited the crash site. They have initiated an investigation to ascertain the precise circumstances surrounding the accident. He also highlighted that this incident marks France’s deadliest aviation accident involving a skydiving flight in approximately 30 years.
The parachutists were engaged in tandem jumps, a practice where inexperienced individuals are securely attached to experienced instructors for their descent. This allows novices to experience skydiving with professional guidance.
A local resident speaking to French broadcaster BFM-TV reported hearing what sounded like the aircraft’s engine falter before a loud impact. Upon reaching the crash site, the resident observed no signs of life.
This devastating event in France occurred just weeks after a similar deadly skydiving plane crash in the United States. That incident, which claimed the lives of 12 people, took place approximately 65 miles outside Kansas City, Missouri.
In the U.S. crash, the aircraft was carrying 11 skydivers and a pilot. Many of the passengers were reportedly first-time skydivers preparing for tandem jumps, according to officials. Similar to the French incident, some family members waiting at the airport also witnessed the U.S. crash.
