In addition to the pilot, five skydiving instructors were on board the aircraft in the Meurthe-et-Moselle region, as it was taking off, the Tomblaine prefecture reported, as cited by LCI.

The pilot apparently avoided crashing the Swiss single-engine plane into a populated area near the Nancy-Essey airfield to prevent further casualties, according to experts from the aforementioned media outlet.

Authorities have organized an operation to recover the deceased and have opened an investigation into the accident.

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