A civilian aircraft carrying skydivers crashed near the eastern French town of Tomblaine on Sunday, killing all 11 people on board, local authorities said, in one of France's deadliest light aircraft accidents.

The crash killed five instructors, five students and the pilot, said Yves Seguy, the prefect of the eastern department of Meurthe-et-Moselle.

"There were no bystanders among the victims," he added, speaking at a press conference.

The aircraft, registered in Germany, crashed in a grassy area near the runway of the Nancy-Essey aerodrome, close to a residential area and two roads, an AFP journalist reported.

The cause of the incident was not immediately clear.

Medical and psychological support teams were caring for relatives of the victims who were present at the airfield, as well as other witnesses.

Meanwhile, a helicopter crash in Saudi Arabia killed 14 Saudi citizens, the kingdom's official press agency reported, adding that the aircraft belonged to state oil giant Aramco.

The Saudi Press Agency, citing an official at the energy ministry, reported the helicopter crashed in Ras Tanura in the country's east.

"The accident claimed the lives of all 14 passengers, all Saudi citizens," the agency said, adding that an investigation was under way to determine the cause of the crash.

Aramco says it operates more than 60 aircraft, including helicopters serving more than 300 heliports in Saudi Arabia, making it one of the largest corporate fleets in the region. (AFP)


Edited by Edmond Fong