This is the horrifying moment a tourist plane nose dives and crashes yards from houses in the French Alpes – killing three.

The incident happened on Wednesday morning, shortly before 11am local time (10am BST) near Chambéry Airport, Voglans.

Shocking CCTV footage shows the aircraft hurtling into the ground as debris flies up into the air. 

The Savoie prefecture has confirmed the deaths of two women and one man in the plane crash.

Witnesses said they saw the aircraft drifting sideways for several minutes over the Leysse River. 

‘We heard a huge noise that was nothing like that of a normal plane, then it crashed,’ said a local resident. 

The Savoie prefecture, Vanina Nicoli, stated: “Firefighters from the Savoie departmental fire and rescue service, the SAMU (emergency medical services), the Chambéry air transport gendarmerie brigade, along with units from the national gendarmerie group, are currently on the scene.

This is the horrifying moment a tourist plane nose dives and crashes yards from houses in the French Alpes – killing three

The incident happened on Wednesday morning, shortly before 11am local time (10am BST) near Chambéry Airport, Voglans

Around 20 firefighters, four members of the Emergency Medical Services (Smur), and about fifteen gendarmes are at the scene, it is thought

She mentioned that a medical-psychological emergency unit is being established to provide support to the families of the victims and those who witnessed the incident.

According to the prefecture, “the exact circumstances of the accident are presently unknown and may be clarified through the judicial investigation.”

Nicoli said she ‘extends her sincere condolences to the families and loved ones of the victims.’

Around 20 firefighters, four members of the Emergency Medical Services (Smur), and about fifteen gendarmes are at the scene, it is thought. 

Extrication operations are occurring in order to safeguard other passengers. 

Chambéry Aiport is a small international airport near Chambéry, a commune in Savoy.

It is the closest airport to the Tarentaise Valley, and France’s most popular ski resorts, like Meribel, Courchevel, Tignes and Val d’Isere.

The tragedy comes just a day after a beloved North Carolina farming family died when their small plane came crashing down over a remote field on their way back from a July 4th beach weekend in Florida.

The Cirrus SR22 carrying Travis, 35, and Candance Buchanan, 35, along with their two children Aubrey, 10, and Walker, 9, plummeted around 1:45pm on Monday.

First responders rushed to the gut-wrenching scene in a wooded area near the Raleigh Executive Jetport in Sanford, Lee County.

Aerial footage from WRAL showed the aircraft shattered in pieces and scattered across the grass.

The aircraft came down far from the roads nearby, making it difficult to find the site.

State Highway Patrol officials said when authorities finally located the Buchanan family, three of them were pronounced dead at the scene.

The remaining victim was rushed to the hospital, where they succumbed to their injuries. It is unclear which family member died at the hospital.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have launched an investigation into the fatal incident.