Eleven killed after plane carrying skydivers crashes in eastern France

Source: BBC

Eleven killed after plane carrying skydivers crashes in eastern France

5 hours ago
Ian Aikman and Neil Murphy


Reuters
A pilot and ten skydivers died after a light aircraft crashed in Tomblaine, eastern France, on Sunday

Eleven people have died after a civilian aircraft carrying skydivers crashed in the town of Tomblaine in eastern France, local officials said. ... The pilot and all 10 passengers were killed, including five instructors and five people who were preparing to skydive for the first time.

The plane, which was being used by a parachutist school, had taken off from Nancy-Essey airfield when it crashed suddenly at around 11:00 local time (10:00 BST). ... The Paris prosecutor's office has launched an investigation into the cause of the incident, French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said.

Some of the victims' relatives saw the crash take place, as they had gathered at the airfield to watch the first-time tandem jumps, Nuñez added.

The mayor of the nearby city of Nancy, Mathieu Klein, said some of the victims had died "in full view of their loved ones".

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