Italian Air Force aerobatic team’s plane crashes after takeoff: Reports

ROME

A plane belonging to the "Frecce Tricolori" aerobatic team of the Italian Air Force crashed Saturday during takeoff from Turin Caselle Airport, according to media reports.

A child at the site of the crash was killed.

The plane, which performs a greeting flight above Italian cities throughout the year for the 100th anniversary of the Italian Air Force, was taking off from the airport for a rehearsal flight before shows in the resorts of Vercelli and Collegno.

It took off but lost altitude and crashed. The pilot survived by jumping out of the plane by using his ejection seat.

Reports said the pilot was slightly injured and taken to the hospital.

A family with four members with two children was at the site when the plane crashed. A 5-year-old girl was killed, and the rest of the family was taken to the hospital with injuries.

Amateur footage of the accident was shared in the media.

All Frecce Tricolori demonstration flights were suspended and Caselle Airport was temporarily closed to air transport.

The aerobatic team, which uses an Italian Aermacchi-made MB-339 model aircraft, usually performs flights with 10 aircraft.

*Writing by Merve Berker