A skydiving plane crashed in northeastern France on Sunday, killing 11 people on board [1].
The accident is a significant tragedy for the local community, as the victims included nursing students and experienced instructors who died in view of their families.
The aircraft, a Pilatus PC-6 [2], belonged to a parachuting school and was operating near the Nancy-Essey airfield in Tomblaine [3]. According to investigators, the plane suffered a technical malfunction shortly after take-off [4]. The aircraft then crashed almost vertically, leaving no survivors [5].
Among the 11 dead were the pilot, five student parachutists, and five instructors [6]. The group of students included five nursing students [6].
Mayor Mathieu Klein said, "The victims died in full view of their loved ones, who were preparing to film the tandem skydives."
French investigators are currently examining the exact cause of the failure [4]. Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot said, "We are deeply saddened by this tragedy and are working with the authorities to understand what happened."
The crash occurred on June 28, 2026 [7]. Emergency services responded to the site in Tomblaine to recover the victims from the wreckage of the PC-6 [3].
“The victims died in full view of their loved ones”
This incident highlights the inherent risks associated with tandem skydiving operations, particularly during the critical take-off and ascent phase. The vertical nature of the crash suggests a catastrophic structural or mechanical failure that left the crew and students with no time to deploy emergency chutes, potentially triggering a review of safety protocols for Pilatus PC-6 aircraft used in sporting aviation.
