Eleven Dead After Skydiving Plane Crashes in Eastern France

Sun Sep 06 2026 03:39:34 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

A light aircraft carrying skydivers crashed near Tomblaine, killing all occupants. The incident is the deadliest private plane accident in France, sparking a national investigation.

A passenger airplane carrying 11 skydivers crashed in Tomblaine, eastern France, killing the pilot and all 10 passengers. The aircraft had just taken off from Nancy‑Essey airfield and descended abruptly before impact. No weather or mechanical fault has been confirmed, and the French prosecutor’s office has launched a full inquiry. Victims included five instructors and five first‑time jumpers, many of whom were nurses. The crash, described as having almost vertical descent, narrowly missed nearby homes and a shopping centre.

Eleven dead after skydiving plane crashes in eastern France

A light aircraft carrying 11 skydivers crashed near Tomblaine, killing the pilot and all ten passengers on Sunday. The emergency response scene featured firefighters and medical teams attending to the wreckage.

The aircraft, owned by a parachutist school, had taken off from Nancy‑Essey airfield at about 11:00 local time and descended abruptly. All occupants, including five instructors and five novices, were killed instantly. Investigators have started a probe into the cause.

Survivors notified families of the tragedy: some relatives witnessed the impact, although the crash occurred near a residential area, sparing the homes nearby. French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said emotions ran strong at the site and families are receiving medical and psychological support.

The aircraft struck the ground close to the airfield’s edge, very near a housing estate and shopping centre. Prefect Yves Seguy warned that a few metres’ difference could have led to collateral casualties. French authorities emphasized that weather conditions, if a factor, remain uncertain.

Half of the victims were nurses, who had decided to jump for a break amid a recent heatwave. The crash represents the deadliest private plane incident in French history, according to the BEA aviation safety agency.

A witness, who chose anonymity, testified that the plane veered right before impact, leaving no chance to intervene. He reported hearing the aircraft’s disturbance and attempted to extinguish the ensuing fire once he reached the crash site.

Mayor Hervé Feron described the descent as unexplainable and indicated further analysis would be required to determine concrete reasons. The investigation continues as France contends with a searing heatwave and an amber warning for high temperatures across Meurthe‑et‑Moselle.