Eleven people were killed on Sunday when a civilian aircraft crashed near the eastern French city of Nancy, local authorities confirmed. The accident occurred in the town of Tomblaine, in the Meurthe-et-Moselle department, shortly after the plane took off from Nancy-Essey Airport, according to the prefecture, as reported by French broadcaster BFM TV.
Victims Include Parachutists and Pilot
All 11 individuals on board died in the crash, including the pilot and two groups of five parachutists who were participating in a skydiving session. Thierry Pechey, head of the Meurthe-et-Moselle branch of the Order of Independent Nurses, told BFMTV that the victims appeared to include independent nurses taking part in what he described as an initiation event, alongside skydiving instructors.
Emergency Response Activated
Meurthe-et-Moselle Prefect Yves Seguy said he has activated the departmental operational centre to coordinate emergency services and monitor the response in real time. Interior Minister Laurent Nunez is expected to travel to the crash site later Sunday, according to his office. Police urged the public to avoid the area around Rue Salvador Allende in Tomblaine to allow emergency responders and law enforcement unrestricted access to the crash site.
