A five-year-old girl has been killed in a horrific plane crash when one of Italy’s “Red Arrows” slammed into her family’s car after the pilot ejected.
The Italian Airforce team called the Frecce Tricolori was having a practice run near Turin when one of the aircraft dropped out of the sky.
Local media said that at least part of the plane that smashed into the car, killing little Laura Origliasso and injuring her 12-year-old brother, reports the Mirror.
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The brother and the two parents were rushed to hospital for treatment for burns, although their injuries aren’t believed to be life-threatening.
The pilot, who’s been named locally as Oscar del Do, was ejected from the plane before it hit the ground. He also suffered burns.
The whole thing happened shortly after take-off from Turin Caselle airport.
A chilling video of the practice run shows the moments immediately before the crash. Nine aircraft can be seen flying in two tight V-formations before one suddenly drops from the sky, below the others.
The video tracks the plane as it gets lower and lower, heading towards the ground, before the pilot ejects and the aircraft smashes into the ground, sending a huge fireball into the air.
Members of the Frecce Tricolori are acrobatic pilots in the air force, and they are the Italian equivalent of the Red Arrows.
They perform flybys at events and airshows, leaving streaks of smoke that’s red, green and white (the colours of the Italian flag).
The Frecce Tricolori were also involved in an incident in 1988 when three planes collided and crashed during an air show at Ramstein in Germany.
All three pilots and 67 people on the ground were killed and hundreds more suffered serious injuries.
The latest tragedy happened while the team was preparing for a show today (Sunday, September 17).
One early theory is that the plane hit a flock of birds, damaging an engine. There were reports that the pilot told the team leader he had engine problems and had to disengage.
The head of the region's prosecutor's office, Gabriella Viglione, arrived at the site soon after the crash.
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