A skydiving plane crashed on Sunday in Tomblaine, eastern France, killing all 11 people on board in one of the country's deadliest ever light aircraft accidents. The victims included five instructors, five student nurses, and the pilot, according to Yves Seguy, the prefect of the Meurthe-et-Moselle department. The cause of the France plane crash has not been determined and a technical investigation has been opened.
What caused the skydiving plane crash in Tomblaine, France?
The cause of the crash has not been established. Deputy public prosecutor Amaury Lacote said a technical investigation had been opened. Tomblaine mayor Hervé Féron said the plane fell in a completely unexplained manner during the ascent and crashed straight down.
Who were the victims of the France plane crash?
The five student passengers were nurses who had decided to make their first skydiving jump together, according to the head of Meurthe-et-Moselle's nursing council, Thierry Pechey. He said they had wanted to unwind during a difficult period marked by the ongoing heatwave. They were joined by five instructors for tandem skydives, along with the pilot.
The aircraft, registered in Germany, had been chartered specifically for the skydiving weekend, Féron said. It crashed in a grassy area near the runway of the Nancy-Essey aerodrome, close to a residential area and two roads. Nancy mayor Mathieu Klein said the victims died in full view of their loved ones, who had gathered to film the jumps.
How close did the crash come to homes and bystanders?
Klein said the plane came down just a few meters from nearby homes, adding it was tragic but could have been even worse. Medical and psychological support teams were deployed to care for relatives and witnesses present at the scene. Police urged the public to strictly avoid the area around the airport to allow emergency services access.
French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez and Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot were expected to visit the crash site later on Sunday.
