11 killed in eastern France skydiving plane crash; 14 die in Saudi Arabia helicopter accident

On June 28, 2026, a civilian skydiving aircraft tragically crashed near the northeastern town of Tomblaine, France, resulting in the deaths of eleven individuals. This incident, which left no survivors, included one pilot, five skydiving instructors, and five students. Fortunately, no bystanders on the ground sustained injuries.The aircraft, a German-registered Pilatus PC-6 light plane, was owned by a local skydiving club and was conducting a training flight. Relatives of the skydivers were present at the airfield at the time of the crash. The plane descended vertically into a grassy area adjacent to the runway of the Nancy-Essey Aerodrome, narrowly avoiding a nearby residential area and shopping center.Regional prefect Yves Seguy reported that the aircraft seemed to experience unexplained damage during its ascent before it fell straight down. Amaury Lacote, the deputy public prosecutor in Nancy, confirmed that a technical investigation has been initiated to ascertain the cause of this tragedy.French Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot and Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez both visited the site to evaluate the emergency response efforts. In the meantime, local police have urged the public to refrain from entering the perimeter around the aerodrome to ensure that emergency vehicles can access the area without interruption.Medical and psychological support units were onsite to assist eyewitnesses and grieving families.In a separate incident, a helicopter crash in Saudi Arabia resulted in the deaths of 14 Saudi citizens, as reported by the kingdom's official press agency, which noted that the aircraft was owned by the state oil company Aramco.The Saudi Press Agency, citing an official from the energy ministry, stated that the helicopter crashed in Ras Tanura, located in the eastern part of the country."The accident resulted in the fatalities of all 14 passengers, all of whom were Saudi citizens," the agency reported, adding that an investigation is currently underway to determine the cause of the crash.Aramco reports that it manages over 60 aircraft, which includes helicopters that serve more than 300 heliports across Saudi Arabia, positioning it as one of the largest corporate fleets in the area.