A fatal skydiving plane crash in Tomblaine, eastern France, claimed the lives of all 11 individuals on board, marking the nation’s worst general aviation disaster. The victims included the pilot, five instructors, and five nursing students. According to Thierry Pechey, head of the local nursing council, the group had organized the jump as a way to destress during the current heatwave. Nancy Mayor Mathieu Klein noted that the victims’ families were nearby, intending to record the event, and are now receiving professional psychological support.
The German-registered Pilatus aircraft plunged into a grassy patch near the Nancy-Essey aerodrome. Local officials expressed relief that the crash occurred just meters away from nearby houses rather than striking residential structures directly. Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot, who visited the scene, stated that this is the most severe parachute-related aviation accident in three decades.
Witnesses reported that the plane dropped vertically during its ascent, though the specific cause remains unknown. Amaury Lacote, the deputy public prosecutor for Nancy, has launched a formal technical investigation to determine why the charter flight failed. Law enforcement has cordoned off the area to ensure emergency responders maintain clear access to the site.
