11 killed as plane carrying skydivers crashes in France’s Tomblaine | World

At least 11 people lost their lives on Sunday after a civilian aircraft carrying skydivers crashed in the French town of Tomblaine, near Nancy. The plane reportedly shattered into pieces after crashing, leaving behind a devastating scene. According to local reports, three people survived after ejecting from the aircraft before it went down.

Pilot, instructors and students among the dead 

French media reported that the victims are believed to include the pilot, five skydiving instructors and five students. However, authorities are yet to officially confirm the identities of those killed. Emergency services, including firefighters, police and medical teams, quickly reached the crash site and began rescue and recovery operations.

Following the crash, police sealed off the area around Salvador Allende Street and urged people to avoid the location to ensure emergency vehicles could reach the site without any obstruction. In a statement, police said, “Absolutely avoid the Salvador Allende Street area. To allow free access for emergency services and law enforcement, do not go there.”

Investigation launched 

Earlier, local authorities confirmed they were responding to an incident involving a civilian aircraft that had taken off from Nancy-Essey Aerodrome. The prefect of Meurthe-et-Moselle activated the departmental emergency operations centre to monitor the situation in real time, while senior officials arrived at the crash site.

The exact cause of the crash is still unknown, and investigators are expected to examine the wreckage to determine what led to the deadly accident.

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