'A noise as if the engine stopped in mid-air': Witness recalls moments before France plane crash killed 11

A light aircraft carrying people on a skydiving trip crashed near the Nancy-Essey aerodrome in Tomblaine, northeastern France, killing 11 people.

Officials said the aircraft went down in a grassy area near the runway at around 11am local time and that the dead included the pilot and all 10 passengers.

Also Read | Putin says Russia in 'difficult period', vows nation will overcome Ukraine war challenges

A grim morning beneath clear skies

Yves Seguy, the prefect of the Meurthe-et-Moselle region, told reporters near the scene that emergency services responded immediately after the crash.

Hervé Féron, the mayor of Tomblaine, said no homes were struck in the accident and told BFMTV, “There was no collateral damage, but unfortunately all the people who were inside died,” adding that the town was in mourning. Police asked the public to “strictly avoid” the airport area so rescue and law enforcement teams could work without obstruction.

Eyewitnesses recall a dreadful descent

Witness accounts described a sudden and violent impact. One local resident, John Curaka, said that he heard “a noise as if the engine stopped in mid-air,” followed by a loud bang.

The crash site was reported to be close to a residential neighborhood and two roads, though authorities said there were no bystanders among the victims. A source close to the investigation said that the victims were part of a group of nursing students.

The inquiry now takes centre stage

Authorities said the aircraft had been registered in Germany, and local officials opened a technical investigation to determine what caused the crash.

Amaury Lacôte, the deputy public prosecutor in Nancy, said gendarmerie units specializing in air transport had begun examining the wreckage.

The Ministry of the Interior said Interior Minister Laurent Nunez was on his way to the scene, while Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot described the incident on X as a “terrible tragedy” with a death toll he called “particularly heavy." Support teams were deployed for witnesses and relatives gathered at the airfield.

Also Read | 'I have the power... to shut down ANY media house I want to': Uganda military chief closes two outlets

FAQs

Q1: What caused the plane crash near Nancy in eastern France?

Ans: The cause of the crash has not been confirmed, and French authorities have launched an investigation.

Q2: How many people died in the eastern France plane crash?

Ans: All 11 people on board, including the pilot and 10 passengers, were killed in the crash.