Eleven people have been killed in a plane crash in northeastern France after a skydiving aircraft crashed in the town of Tomblaine, in Nancy.
All 10 passengers and the pilot died in the accident after the parachutist school plane crashed into the ground just after 11am.
Local media reported that several independent nurses, who were skydiving for the first time, are among the victims.
Thierry Pechey, a president at the Order of Independent Nurses, is at the site and told BFMTV that those on the aircraft were “half nurses and half instructors.”
At least 25 vehicles, 50 firefighters, and 45 police officers were deployed to the scene and are providing support to several relatives of the victims.
The region’s prefect, Yves Séguy, said the plane suffered a malfunction after taking off from the Nancy-Essey airfield and “plunged vertically to the ground”.
He told broadcaster BFM: “The aircraft appeared to suffer damage before plunging vertically to the ground. The crash occurred in a built-up area near a shopping centre.
“Give or take a few meters and the accident could have caused collateral casualties.”
French interior minister Laurent Nuñez is on his way to the scene, the interior ministry said.
A local resident, identified as John Curaku by BFM-TV, told the broadcaster that he was in his garden when he heard what sounded like a plane’s engine stopping, immediately followed by a bang.
He said he went to the crash site and “there were no signs of life,” with two of the bodies thrown a few metres from the plane.
Police have urged people to avoid the area around the airport in the Meurthe-et-Moselle region, while emergency services are at the site.
Meurthe-et-Moselle national police posted on social media requesting people to “avoid the Salvador Allende Street area entirely.”
It added: “To keep access clear for emergency services and law enforcement, do not go to the scene. Thank you for facilitating their intervention.”
According to Flightradar24, the plane banked to the left after it took off and crashed less than a minute later near houses.
Flight tracking sites identified the plane as a single-engine Pilatus PC-6, a small transporter of freight, passengers and skydivers.
A map of Tomblaine, France:
Hervé Feron, the mayor of Tomblaine, told French media that the plane crashed on a bicycle path shortly after taking off.
“I cannot recall a tragedy of this magnitude,” he said, according to French news outlet L’Est Republicain. “The plane was taking off when it suddenly crashed. There is currently no explanation for the accident.
“There were no collateral casualties; the crash occurred on a bicycle path near a residential area. The town of Tomblaine is making a room available at an undisclosed location to accommodate the victims’ families.
“According to the information I have, there were five instructors, five skydivers, and the pilot on board the plane… The Greater Nancy Metropolis is also providing a room where people can pay their respects.”
Local media reported that several houses near the crash site are experiencing power cuts.
France’s transport minister said the human toll of the incident was “particularly heavy”.
“I extend my most sincere condolences to their loved ones. I will be traveling to the scene this afternoon with Laurent Nunez, the minister of the interior,” Philippe Tabarot wrote on X.
