A civilian aircraft carrying skydivers crashed near the town of Tomblaine in eastern France on Sunday, killing all 11 people on board in one of the country’s deadliest light aircraft accidents.
Authorities said the victims comprised five instructors, five students and the pilot.
Yves Seguy, prefect of the Meurthe-et-Moselle department, confirmed that there were no casualties on the ground.
The aircraft, which was registered in Germany, crashed into a grassy area near the runway of the Nancy-Essey aerodrome, close to a residential neighbourhood and two roads.
The cause of the crash was not immediately known.
Emergency responders, including medical and psychological support teams, were deployed to assist relatives of the victims who had gathered at the airfield, as well as other witnesses.
Deputy public prosecutor Amaury Lacote said a technical investigation had been launched to determine the cause of the accident.
Police urged members of the public to avoid the area surrounding the airport to allow emergency services unrestricted access to the crash site.
French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez was expected to visit the scene later on Sunday.
The crash ranks among France’s deadliest accidents involving a light aircraft in recent years.