A Frecce Tricolori aerobatic aircraft hit a family car near Turin.
A five-year-old girl was killed, and her sibling and parents suffered severe burns, following a crash near the northern Italian city of Turin on Saturday, according to local media reports.
Footage of the incident shows multiple Aermacchi MB-339 aircraft flying in V-formations, before one of them loses altitude and plunges, with its pilot seen ejecting shortly before the impact.
The crash caused a huge explosion of the ground, with photos of the aftermath showing debris in a field and an overturned car on the side of the road. Local media reported that a family of four suffered burns, while their daughter succumbed to her injuries. The pilot’s condition remains unclear.
The incident apparently happened shortly after takeoff from the Turin Caselle airport as the jets were flying to participate in an air show in Vercelli, as part of celebrations marking the 100th anniversary of the Italian Air Force. The show was canceled and the authorities are investigating the cause of the crash.
The Frecce Tricolori is Italy’s top aerobatic team. It was created by the Italian Air Force in 1961, and puts on shows for important events and holidays.
The team has suffered multiple accidents over its decades-long history. The most horrific crash occurred at an air show at Ramstein Air Base in Germany in 1988, when three aircraft collided, killing three pilots and 67 spectators, and injuring hundreds on the ground.
