Eleven people were killed on Sunday when a civilian aircraft carrying skydivers crashed in the town of Tomblaine in eastern France, local authorities confirmed.

The victims included the pilot and ten passengers — five skydiving students and five instructors — according to officials. The plane belonged to a parachutist school and had taken off from Nancy-Essey airfield shortly before the crash.

The incident occurred in the Meurthe-et-Moselle department. Police have cordoned off the area and urged the public to stay away from the crash site and the surrounding airport vicinity as emergency services continue their work.

French Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot described the crash as a “terrible tragedy” and said he was traveling to the scene along with Interior Minister Laurent Nunez.

Local officials reported that relatives of the victims were present at the airfield at the time of the crash, adding to the emotional toll of the incident.

No further details on the cause of the crash have been released so far.

An investigation is expected to be launched by French aviation authorities to determine the circumstances surrounding the accident.This marks a significant tragedy for the skydiving community in the region. (ILKHA)