At least 11 people were killed after a civilian aircraft belonging to a parachuting school crashed on Sunday in Tomblaine, near Nancy in northeastern France, according to Reuters and local authorities.
The local prefecture said the aircraft crashed at around 11 AM local time, killing all 11 people on board. The victims included the pilot and 10 passengers — five student skydivers and five instructors.
Emergency services rushed to the crash site as authorities launched a response operation. French daily L'Est Rpublicain had earlier reported that the aircraft was carrying a group of skydivers at the time of the crash.
A security perimeter has been established around the crash site. The Meurthe-et-Moselle national police urged the public to avoid Rue Salvador Allende, asking people not to travel to the area to ensure emergency responders and law enforcement have unobstructed access. Police also asked motorists to facilitate the passage of priority vehicles.
Regional broadcaster France 3 Grand Est earlier warned of a significant risk of the aircraft exploding following the crash. The French Interior Minister was travelling to the crash site, the Interior Ministry said.
The cause of the crash was not immediately known. Authorities have launched an investigation.
