At least 11 people have been confirmed dead after a civilian aircraft carrying skydivers crashed near the town of Tomblaine in eastern France.
Local authorities said the victims included five skydiving instructors, five trainee skydivers and the pilot. No casualties were reported on the ground.
The aircraft, which was registered in Germany, went down in a grassy area close to the runway of the Nancy-Essey aerodrome, narrowly missing a nearby residential neighbourhood and two major roads.
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Authorities have yet to determine the cause of the crash, with investigations now underway to establish the circumstances surrounding the accident.
Emergency medical personnel and psychological support teams were deployed to the scene to assist grieving relatives and witnesses who were at the airfield when the tragedy occurred.
Police have cordoned off the crash site and urged members of the public to avoid the area while investigators and emergency responders continue recovery operations.
French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez is expected to visit the scene as authorities intensify efforts to determine the cause of one of the country’s deadliest civilian aviation accidents in recent years.
