A devastating aviation disaster has claimed 11 lives in eastern France after a small civilian aircraft carrying skydivers crashed Sunday in the town of Tomblaine, local authorities have confirmed. All people on board — the pilot and all 10 passengers — perished in the crash. Among the passengers were five student skydivers and five experienced instructors, according to local government officials. The aircraft was operated by a local parachuting school and had just departed from nearby Nancy-Essey Airport when the accident occurred, regional media outlets reported. Local law enforcement has issued an urgent public advisory, urging all non-emergency personnel to stay clear of the crash zone located in France’s Meurthe-et-Moselle department. Officials confirmed that no bystanders on the ground were hurt during the incident, Meurthe-et-Moselle Prefect Yves Seguy told Agence France-Presse. In a grim twist, multiple relatives of the crash victims were already waiting at the airfield to greet the skydivers when the accident unfolded, local administrative leaders shared. The French Interior Ministry announced shortly after the crash that Interior Minister was traveling to the accident site to lead the initial response and oversee the upcoming investigation. This is a developing breaking news story. Authorities have not yet released information on the potential cause of the crash, and updates will be shared as more details become available. Audiences can access real-time updates on this incident via the BBC News mobile application or by following the official @BBCBreaking account on X for instant alerts.