Eleven dead after a small plane crashed in France

BarcelonaEleven people have died after a small plane heading for a parachute jump crashed this Sunday in the town of Tomblaine, on the outskirts of the city of Nancy, in eastern France. Local spokesmen have confirmed that there were no survivors and that all 11 passengers on board died instantly in the accident: one was the pilot, five were instructors hired by the company, and the other five were clients who were going to parachute. The impact, which occurred in a fairly populated area, did not cause any collateral casualties. It is the most serious accident ever in France involving this type of small plane.

"All eleven occupants have died," lamented the departmental prefect, Yves Seguy, who, in subsequent statements to the BFMTV channel, detailed that a malfunction in the aircraft could have been the cause, although experts are still evaluating the exact cause. The accident occurred very shortly after takeoff from the Nancy-Essey aerodrome, and this caused some relatives of the victims to see the plane "plummet."

"The aircraft had just taken off when it crashed 300 meters from the runway," confirmed the Minister of the Interior, Laurent Nuñez, who traveled to the scene of the accident along with the Minister of Transport, Philippe Tabarot. "Rescue services responded quickly, but unfortunately the victims had already died," added Nuñez. "There had not been such a serious accident in an aircraft of these characteristics and with so many victims," Tabarot pointed out.

According to the local media L'Est Républicain, the crashed aircraft is a Pilatus registered in Germany, commonly used for parachute jumps. The two French ministers did not want to speculate on possible causes of the accident, and an investigation is underway: the engine and controls of the aircraft, which was damaged, will be analyzed. This model of small plane, however, does not have a black box.

The accident occurred on Salvador Allende Avenue around 11 a.m., near a supermarket in Tomblaine, in an area adjacent to a commercial zone. The mayor of the town explained to the local press that, according to witnesses, the aircraft fell into a nosedive "in a completely inexplicable way." Authorities have also activated a psychological support service for the victims' families, many of whom saw the small plane crash live shortly after takeoff.