Skydiving Plane Crash Kills Pilot, Instructors and Students

Skydiving Plane Crash Kills Pilot, Instructors and Students

A routine skydiving flight turned into a tragedy in northeastern France after a plane carrying parachutists crashed shortly after takeoff, killing everyone on board.

Those who died included the pilot, five experienced skydiving instructors and five students who were preparing for tandem jumps as part of an introductory parachuting session.

French authorities said the aircraft took off from Nancy-Essey Airport before developing problems moments into the flight. Witnesses reported seeing the plane lose altitude and plunge to the ground less than a minute after leaving the runway.

Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said some of the victims’ relatives watched the aircraft crash, leaving them deeply traumatised.

Emergency teams were deployed to the scene and provided psychological support to grieving families.

Officials believe the plane suffered a technical malfunction before crashing near the town of Tomblaine, narrowly missing nearby homes.

The aircraft, identified as a Pilatus PC-6 commonly used for skydiving operations, came down just a short distance from the airport.

French prosecutors have launched an investigation to determine the cause of the crash, while aviation experts continue examining the wreckage.