By Ene Rebecca
June 28, 2026
A skydiving aircraft crashed shortly after take-off in northeastern France on Sunday, killing all 11 people on board, authorities have confirmed.
The aircraft went down near the city of Nancy at about 11 a.m. local time in the town of Tomblaine, according to Yves Séguy, Prefect of the Meurthe-et-Moselle region. He said emergency responders were immediately deployed to the scene, while investigators began collecting witness statements to determine the cause of the accident.
Local officials said the victims comprised the pilot, five skydiving instructors and five people participating in what was reported to be their first skydiving experience. Thierry Pechey, chairman of the local Council of Self-Employed Nurses, told French broadcaster BFM that the victims appeared to include a group of self-employed nurses taking part in a first-time skydiving activity.
Séguy said the aircraft crashed near the airfield without causing casualties on the ground. He added that emergency personnel were providing psychological support to relatives of the victims who were present at the airport when the incident occurred. Authorities also secured the crash site as investigations got underway.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Amaury Lacote confirmed that a technical investigation had been launched to establish the cause of the crash. Officials said the aircraft, a German-registered Pilatus PC-6 commonly used for skydiving operations, crashed near Nancy-Essey Aerodrome. The cause of the accident had not been determined as of press time.
The crash is among the deadliest light aircraft accidents recorded in France in recent years and has prompted a full-scale investigation by French authorities.
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