What is known about the plane crash that killed 11 near Nancy
The investigation regarding why it crashed is ongoing
The aircraft crashed in the neighbouring commune of Tomblaine
Prefectute Meurthe-et-Moselle and Maire Tomblaine
A small aircraft carrying skydivers crashed shortly after take-off on Sunday, killing 11 people in what authorities describe as the deadliest accident in French general aviation outside military and commercial transport.
The accident took place near Nancy, Meurthe-et-Moselle, at Nancy-Essey airfield, around 11:00, when taking off for a skydiving flight. However, shortly after take off, and while still climbing, witnesses saw the plane suddenly losing altitude.
It crashed 300 metres from the runway in the neighbouring commune of Tomblaine. All who were on board, including five instructors, five self-employed nurses taking part in a tandem skydive and the pilot died.
No one on the ground was injured though, despite the fact the aircraft crashed near homes, roads and a supermarket.
"The plane was climbing and, for no apparent reason at this time, it plummeted," said Hervé Féron, mayor of Tomblaine, to France Info.
Around 50 firefighters plus police officers, gendarmes and civil protection teams attended the scene.
The Meurthe-et-Moselle prefecture activated emergency support (a public information hotline / psychological) for the victim’s families, some of whom were at the scene at the time of the crash to film the jumps.
Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez and Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot travelled to the scene on Sunday afternoon. Mr Nuñez said the aircraft "fell suddenly" shortly after take-off but declined to speculate on the cause, reports France Info.
The crash investigation has now been passed to the Paris prosecutor’s office unit for mass casualty incidents. The cause for the accident has not yet been determined.
Possibilities include mechanical failure, medical emergency affecting the pilot or an issue with weight distribution inside the aircraft, according to former BEA (Bureau of Enquiry and Analysis for Civil Aviation Safety) president Jean-Paul Troadec, reports AFP, but these only remain hypotheses.
