11 people killed in plane crash in eastern France

Written by: Ayman Ragab

Eleven people were killed when a civilian plane carrying a group of skydivers crashed in the Meurthe-et-Moselle region of eastern France.

Local media reported that the incident occurred in the Tomblin area, near the city of Nancy in the east of the country.

11 people killed in plane crash in France

A statement issued by the Meurthe-et-Moselle prefecture said the plane, which took off from Nancy-Issy airport, was carrying a pilot and 10 parachutists before it crashed for reasons that have not yet been determined.

The statement confirmed that the accident resulted in the death of all 11 people on board the plane.

In the same context, French authorities announced that Interior Minister Laurent Nunez would head to the crash site in the coming hours to investigate the circumstances, while no official details have yet been released regarding the technical reasons behind the plane crash.

According to local sources, the trainees were a group of self-employed nurses.

Extensive mobilization of rescue teams

Local media reported that about 25 vehicles and more than 50 fire and rescue personnel were dispatched to the scene, along with medical emergency teams and the national police.

For his part, the public prosecutor in Nancy announced that the public prosecutor's office had entrusted the investigation to the research department in Paris, in cooperation with the gendarmerie unit specializing in air transport, in order to begin technical examinations and determine the causes of the accident.

An emergency cell for medical and psychological support also took over providing care to the relatives of the victims who were present at the airport at the time of the incident, in addition to a number of witnesses.

French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez is also expected to arrive at the scene of the accident, accompanied by Transport Minister Philippe Tabarro.

The ill-fated aircraft was a Pilatus PC-6, a plane designed to transport paratroopers and capable of accommodating up to ten passengers.

Shocking human toll

While the victims' identities have not yet been officially revealed, the incident has sparked a widespread wave of condolences and solidarity, with the French Minister of Transport expressing his sympathy to the victims' families.