Eleven people died after a civilian aircraft carrying skydivers crashed near the Tomblaine airfield in eastern France, local officials confirmed, in what authorities say is the deadliest private plane accident in modern French history. The pilot and all 10 passengers five experienced instructors and five first-time tandem jumpers were killed when the aircraft plunged almost vertically to the ground around 11:00 local time, narrowly missing nearby homes and a shopping centre.
Relatives and onlookers at the airfield witnessed the impact and have been offered medical and psychological support as officials describe “considerable psychological trauma” for family members who saw the crash. French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said the Paris prosecutor has opened an investigation, while local leaders warned it is too early to determine a cause weather may have played a role but officials are awaiting the formal probe. A witness reported the plane veered before the crash and rescuers found the wreckage aflame, with investigators working to piece together why the aircraft fell so suddenly during a period of record-high temperatures and an amber heat warning in the region.
