'Fell Almost Vertically': The Plane Crash That Killed All 11 on Board in Northeastern France
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A skydiving plane suffered a catastrophic malfunction moments after take-off near Nancy on Sunday, plunging to the ground and killing everyone aboard.
By Pranjal Gupta
A skydiving plane crashed in northeastern France on Sunday, killing all eleven people on board, after suffering a malfunction that caused it to plunge to the ground shortly after take-off.
The aircraft, belonging to a local skydiving club, had just left the Nancy-Essey airfield on the outskirts of Nancy when something went wrong. Yves Séguy, prefect of the Meurthe-et-Moselle region, told broadcaster BFM-TV that the plane suffered a malfunction and "fell almost vertically" before crashing on the edge of a built-up area near the airfield, close to the commune of Tomblaine.
The proximity to a residential area was not lost on authorities. "Had it occurred just a few dozen metres away," Séguy said, "the accident could have caused collateral casualties."
Emergency services responded immediately. Psychological support was made available to relatives of the victims, and witness statements were being gathered as authorities began working to establish the full picture of what had happened.
France's Transport Minister, Philippe Tabarot, described it as a "terrible tragedy" and confirmed he would travel to the scene alongside Interior Minister Laurent Nunez. "The human toll is particularly heavy: 11 people lost their lives," he said. "I extend my most sincere condolences to their loved ones."
The cause of the malfunction has not yet been confirmed. An investigation is under way.
(With Inputs from AP)
