One day after the devastating crash of a Pilatus PC-6 on 28 June 2026 in Tomblaine near Nancy, the scale of the catastrophe is becoming ever clearer. Eleven people lost their lives when the aircraft used for skydiving crashed shortly after takeoff. Among the victims were the pilot, five experienced skydiving instructors and five participants who wanted to experience a tandem jump. While investigators continue to examine the cause of the accident, the fates of the deceased move into the spotlight.
The Nancy region is particularly affected by the death of Cynthia Vally. The 48-year-old headed the operations department of the Polyclinic Gentilly and leaves behind two children. Colleagues describe her as an exceptionally committed nursing professional whose humanity was valued as much as her high professional competence. For many she was a fixture in the daily life of the clinic.
Also among the dead is Youssef El Idrissi, also 48 years old. The accountant from Tomblaine was the father of two sons and played on the senior team of GSA Tomblaine football club. Friends and companions remember him as a consistently friendly, helpful family man who cared for his relatives with great dedication.
Damien Giacovelli also lost his life; he worked as a self-employed nurse in Nancy. His death shakes numerous patients as well as colleagues who knew him as a committed and reliable healthcare professional.
Among the victims is also an 18-year-old student from Jarville-la-Malgrange. At the request of the family, authorities have not published his name so far. His death gives the tragedy a particularly painful dimension, because the skydiving jump was meant to be an extraordinary experience for the young man.
The five skydiving instructors who died all had extensive experience. Davy Tellier was 53 years old and worked as a chief firefighter in the Var department. Besides his job, his great passion was skydiving, in which he had worked for many years as an instructor.
Filip Kovacevic was also one of the recognized instructors. Professionally he specialized in refrigeration and air-conditioning technology, and he enjoyed an excellent reputation in the skydiving community. Anthony Planchon was likewise counted among the highly regarded instructors. After initial, misleading reports, authorities clarified that he had not been piloting the crashed aircraft.
With Albéric Moulès the scene also loses a 33-year-old entrepreneur. He ran the company Vertical Addict and gained experience, among other places, in New Caledonia. The fifth flight instructor, Pierre, also died in the crash. Only a few personal details about him are known so far.
According to professional associations from the healthcare sector, several nurses and medical staff were among the group who had organized the skydiving jump as a shared leisure activity. In addition to Cynthia Vally and Damien Giacovelli, a nursing student was also on board.
The pilot, whose identity has not yet been officially released, was considered by authorities to be very experienced. The French Bureau of Enquiry and Analysis for Civil Aviation Safety is continuing its investigation. Experts are now analyzing all available data to determine the exact cause of the catastrophe. Until reliable results are available, many questions remain unanswered — and eleven families must live with a loss that is hardly expressible in words.