The crash occurred around 11 am local time, as reported by Meurthe-et-Moselle Prefect Yves Séguy during a press briefing near the incident site. Reports indicate that the aircraft had taken off from the Nancy-Essey airfield.
Emergency services quickly arrived at the scene, and authorities were in the process of gathering statements from witnesses, Séguy noted.
Reports state that the victims included the pilot, five instructors, and five students. Thierry Pechey, president of the Meurthe-et-Moselle branch of the Order of Independent Nurses, informed BFMTV that the victims seemed to be self-employed nurses from the Nancy area participating in their first skydiving experience.
Several relatives of those involved reportedly witnessed the crash while they gathered to observe the group’s introductory skydiving session. Authorities have also established a medical and psychological support unit for the families of the victims, according to reports.
A witness told the French daily L’Est Républicain that the aircraft crashed in a grassy region next to a road near residential buildings. “The accident occurred around 11 am. I was driving to do my shopping at Auchan when I saw it dive and crash.”
Local media reports indicate that the aircraft was a German-registered Pilatus, a model often used for parachuting and skydiving activities.
Pierre-Yves Eugène, president of the National Parachutists’ Union, told BFMTV that the aircraft was on its third take-off of the day. He emphasized that the Pilatus model is “very demanding” and necessitates a thorough inspection every two years.
Séguy informed Le Parisien that the aircraft descended vertically “without any known cause.” He added that there was no flight pattern indicating the pilot attempted an emergency landing. Fortunately, despite the crash occurring near residential areas, no one on the ground was hurt.
Authorities have requested the public to refrain from accessing the area around Rue Salvador Allende in Tomblaine to facilitate the work of emergency responders and law enforcement at the crash site.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Amaury Lacote stated to local media that the Public Prosecutor’s Office has mobilized the forensic identification service and the Nancy-Metz Air Transport Gendarmerie Brigade to investigate the incident.
Local reports also indicate that the crash led to a widespread power outage in the vicinity of Tomblaine.
The investigation into the cause of the crash is ongoing.
