In a tragic incident that unfolded on Sunday, a skydiving plane crashed shortly after takeoff in France, resulting in the deaths of all 11 people on board, authorities have confirmed.
The accident involved a Pilatus PC-6, a single-engine aircraft that went down not long after departing from Nancy-Essey Airfield located near the northeastern city of Nancy. Those who lost their lives included five skydiving instructors, five novice jumpers, and the pilot.
French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez reported that some relatives of the victims were present and witnessed the plane’s descent from the sky.
“Several family members of the victims saw the aircraft fall with their own eyes,” Nuñez stated, highlighting the profound emotional distress and psychological impact on those who witnessed the tragedy.
A police officer stands near the crash site of the skydiving plane in Tomblaine, northeastern France, where all 11 passengers perished on Sunday, June 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Antonin Utz)
Meurthe-et-Moselle Prefect Yves Séguy said the aircraft suffered an apparent malfunction and “fell almost vertically,” narrowly missing a populated area after crashing roughly 300 yards from the runway.
Flight-tracking data from Flightradar24 showed the aircraft banked left after takeoff before disappearing from radar less than a minute into the flight.
France’s Bureau of Enquiry and Analysis for Civil Aviation Safety (BEA), the country’s aviation accident investigation agency, said on X that it had opened a safety investigation into the crash involving the Pilatus PC-6. The agency said four investigators and one first-response investigator were dispatched to the scene.
Forensic technicians examine a skydiving plane that crashed in Tomblaine northeastern France, killing all 11 people on board, Sunday, June 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Antonin Utz)
Authorities have not determined what caused the crash, and officials cautioned that it is too early to speculate while investigators examine the wreckage.
Nancy Mayor Mathieu Klein called the crash “an immense shock that has plunged the Greater Nancy area into mourning” in a Facebook post, offering condolences to the victims’ families and those who witnessed the tragedy.
Forensic technicians examine a skydiving plane that crashed in Tomblaine northeastern France, killing all 11 people on board, Sunday, June 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Antonin Utz)
Klein said he visited the crash site alongside regional officials and praised the “remarkable professionalism and commitment” of rescue, medical and security personnel. He also announced that Greater Nancy would open a gathering space at Marcel Picot Stadium where residents could pay their respects and show solidarity with the victims’ families.
The Meurthe-et-Moselle prefecture said it activated a public information center Sunday afternoon to assist victims’ families and said the hotline would reopen Monday morning as recovery efforts and the investigation continue.
Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot described the crash as the country’s deadliest skydiving aviation accident in roughly three decades.