'Brit pilot' killed in 'fireball' mountain crash on military training jet test flight

dailystar.co.uk:

MailOnline. The jet is believed to have crashed at an altitude of about 8,200 feet. It then caught fire and went down near the town of Colico in a "fireball" according to local reports.Witnesses posting on social media said there was a “terrifying huge roar” when the plane went down.

Emergency services recovered the "British" pilot's body this afternoon.Local newspaper La Repubblica reported that the Italian pilot suffered “serious facial trauma” at a hospital in Milan.

It’s thought the jet had been “flying for about twenty hours."The makers of the aircraft, Leonardo, released a statement after the crash saying they “express their most heartfelt condolences” to the pilot.To stay up to date with all the latest news, make sure you sign up to one of our newsletters here.Leonardo said: “This morning, at approximately 12:00pm, an M-346 aircraft crashed in the area above Colico (Monte Legnone) near Como in Northern Italy.“Emergency vehicles are now operating in the area and Leonardo, as per its established practice, has immediately activated an internal investigation committee.

The cause of the accident is under investigation.“Unfortunately, the rescue teams arriving at the site of the accident ascertained the loss of one of the two pilots.