Pilot Dies After Military Trainer Jet Crashes In Italy

One of two pilots has died and the other injured after a trainer jet crashed in Italy.

According to Daily Sabah, on Thursday, the jet manufactured by the Leonardo company crashed during a test flight near the town of Como in Italy.

The causes of the accident are under investigation, the state-controlled group said in a statement, adding it was premature to hypothesize about the cause.

It was claimed that the combat jet had taken off from Leonardo's plant late, following the checks required to authorize the flight, which were completed just before take-off.

A Leonardo test pilot and an instructor pilot from an external company were on board.

Half an hour after takeoff, contact with the aircraft was lost. The rescue team subsequently located the wreckage in a mountainous area near Como.

The instructor pilot from the external company was then found dead. The company said it has constituted an internal committee to investigate the disaster.