ROME, Mar 8 (NNN-XINHUA) – Two Italian Air Force pilots died yesterday, after the aircraft they were flying in, collided mid-air near Italy’s capital.
The government and military officials confirmed the crash, and media reports said, the Air Force and the prosecutor’s office in the nearby town of Tivoli will both open investigations into causes of the collision.
According to official accounts, the two U-208 light propeller aircraft were on a training mission, from the Guidonia Military Airport, located around 25 kilometres north-east of Rome. There were no immediate signs of distress from either pilot and there were no reported injuries on the ground, though news sources said some wreckage fell into a roadside parking area, causing property damage.
The crash was visible from the ground and its aftermath was recorded by several local residents, with images and videos published in the Italian media. Media reports quoted witnesses as saying that, the planes were flying in formation before veering off course and making contact.
The pilots, part of the 60th Wing, a unit of the Italian Air Force based at the Guidonia Military Airport, were reportedly carrying out exercises ahead of celebrations for the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Italian Air Force, later this month. It is not clear how the accident and the deaths of the pilots will impact the celebrations.
According to Air Force data, the U-208 is a lightweight, single-prop aircraft, capable of maximum speeds of 285 kilometres per hour. The aircraft, which is not used for combat, can carry up to five passengers, including the pilot.
The events yesterday sparked messages of condolences, including from Italy’s Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, who said, she was “devastated to hear about the deaths of two Air Force pilots during a training accident near Guidonia.”– NNN-XINHUA
