Overview
- Authorities identified the victims as Col. Simone Mettini, 48, commander of the 70° Stormo, and trainee pilot Lorenzo Nucheli, 19.
- The SF-260EA/T-260B two-seat trainer went down around 9 a.m. in the Circeo park area after radar contact was lost without a mayday, and rescuers found the wreckage ablaze.
- Military and local prosecutors have launched inquiries to determine the cause and assess any potential liability, with no official findings yet.
- National leaders offered condolences, and the Air Force activated psychological and welfare support for personnel and families at the Latina base.
- Mettini logged roughly 4,300 flight hours, including missions in Iraq and Libya, while Nucheli was nearing completion of the flights required for his pilot brevet.