Tragic skydiving accident in northeastern France killed all 11 aboard a Pilatus PC-6 aircraft shortly after leaving Nancy-Essey Airport Sunday. Victims included five parachuting instructors,five novice jumpers prepping for tandem skydives,plus pilot.
Plane malfunctioned soon after takeoff,crashed almost vertically. Prefect Yves Séguy noted it barely missed a populated area: "Had it occurred just a few dozen meters away,the accident could have caused collateral casualties." Flight data showed plane banked left before descending less than a minute later,landing about 300 yards from runway near homes.
Interior Minister Laurent Nunez visited crash site with Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot,expressed deep sorrow over incident . Praised quick response of local emergency services,including firefighters and police. A medico-psychological emergency unit activated to help families of victims and crash witnesses,some at airport when tragedy unfolded .
Tabarot called it "terrible tragedy," offered condolences to affected families . Paris prosecutor's office overseeing investigation,assigned to Air Transport Gendarmerie's investigative unit. Bureau d'Enquêtes et d'Analyses sent investigators to crash site to understand accident's circumstances.
Local residents reported hearing aircraft engine sputter before loud crash. One resident saw no signs of life upon arrival. Marks France's deadliest aviation accident involving skydiving flight in nearly three decades .
Tragedy echoes similar incident in U.S . weeks earlier,where skydiving plane crash near Kansas City,Missouri,killed 12. That plane also carried novice jumpers readying for tandem dives.
As investigations continue,focus on technical failures behind crash. Emotional toll on families and local community is deep,many grappling with sudden loss of loved ones…
