Fighter jets collide and crash over eastern Italy causing forest fire
TWO fighter jets collided before crashing to the ground in Italy while on a training exercise today.
The planes, which were carrying a totally of four crew members, plummeted into a hilly, wooded area which erupted into flames, the Italian air force said.
It is not known if the two pilots and two navigators managed to eject from the Tornado jets and a search is now being conducted for them.
Italian media reported that parts of the planes had been found.
The collision occurred over the hills of Ascoli Piceno, in eastern Italy.
A Civil Protection official, Susanna Balducci, told Italian news channel Sky TG24 TV there were no civilian casualties on the ground.
A giant ball of fire lasted for five seconds before slamming into the mountain
She said that a firefighting helicopter was trying to extinguish the blaze.
Flames and dark smoke are still visible for miles in the region.
The two planes were based at Ghedi in north-west Italy.
One witness told Il Fatto Quotidiano: "We heard a tremendous roar and when we looked up to the sky we saw pieces of plane falling."
Fabio Valeri, who witnessed the crash, told Sky TG24: "A giant ball of fire lasted for five seconds before slamming into the mountain."