Three die as light aircraft crashes onto motorway near Paris

Three people died when a small plane crashed onto a motorway near Paris on Sunday afternoon (June 30). 

The four-seater Cessna 172 crashed shortly after taking off from Lognes airport in the Seine-et-Marne department.

The plane hit a high-voltage wire, causing it to freefall into the central reservation of the A4 motorway a few kilometres from the airport.

No vehicles were damaged but the motorway was closed in both directions as emergency services attended the scene. 

The three victims were pronounced dead at the scene. 

The identities of the pilot and two passengers has not been released but the local public prosecutor said two men – including the pilot – and one woman were on board. 

The pilot “was born in 1989, and has earned his pilot’s licence in 2023,” the authorities announced. 

He had around 100 hours of flight experience, it added. 

It is currently unknown whether the pilot and passengers knew each other nor the reason for the flight.

Two investigations into the accident have been opened. 

The first will be headed by the Gendarmerie des Transports Aériens, with a second by the Bureau d'Enquêtes et d'Analyses pour la Sécurité de l'Aviation Civile (Civil aviation security, or BEA).