Families watched in horror as a skydiving plane crashed in northeastern France shortly after takeoff on Sunday, killing all 11 people aboard, according to French officials.
The single-engine Pilatus PC-6 crashed moments after departing Nancy-Essey Airfield near the city of Nancy. The victims included five skydiving instructors, five first-time jumpers, and the pilot.
French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez stated that some relatives of the victims witnessed the plane descending from the sky, emphasizing the “tremendous emotion and psychological trauma” caused by the tragedy.
Meurthe-et-Moselle Prefect Yves Séguy reported that the aircraft experienced an apparent malfunction and “fell almost vertically,” narrowly avoiding a populated area before crashing approximately 300 yards from the runway.
Flight-tracking data from Flightradar24 indicated the plane banked left after takeoff before disappearing from radar less than a minute into the flight.
France’s Bureau of Enquiry and Analysis for Civil Aviation Safety (BEA) confirmed it launched a safety investigation, deploying four investigators and one first-response investigator to the crash site.
Police officer stands near the site where a skydiving plane crashed in Tomblaine northeastern France, killing all 11 people on board, Sunday, June 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Antonin Utz)
Forensic technicians examine a skydiving plane that crashed in Tomblaine northeastern France, killing all 11 people on board, Sunday, June 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Antonin Utz)
Authorities have not determined the cause of the crash, and officials emphasized it is too early to speculate as investigators analyze the wreckage.
Nancy Mayor Mathieu Klein described the incident as “an immense shock that has plunged the Greater Nancy area into mourning” and announced the opening of a public gathering space at Marcel Picot Stadium for community mourning and solidarity.
Forensic technicians examine a skydiving plane that crashed in Tomblaine northeastern France, killing all 11 people on board, Sunday, June 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Antonin Utz)
Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot characterized the crash as France’s deadliest skydiving aviation accident in approximately three decades. Recovery efforts and the investigation remain ongoing.
Also Read
- Stocks making the biggest moves premarket: Comcast, Rocket Lab, Charter Communications & more
- Surging Demand for Counter-Drone Technology Drives US Military Contracts for Smart Shooter
- Maine Senate Race Dead Heat: Platner Edges Collins in NYT/Siena Poll Amid Tightening Race
- Major Food Corporations Lag Behind Regenerative Agriculture Expectations, FAIRR Report Reveals