At least 4 killed when U.S. copter crashes in Italy

ROME, Italy (CNN) -- A U.S. Black Hawk military helicopter with 10 people on board crashed Thursday in northeastern Italy. Police in Treviso said five people died, but local fire officials said four were killed.

The fire department said two of the injured were still trapped in the helicopter and the rest had been taken to hospitals, two in serious condition. The fire officials said no one on the ground was hurt.

It was unclear whether those killed were soldiers, crew members or passengers.

The U.S. military in Europe confirmed the helicopter was an Army H-60 Black Hawk helicopter.

Police and fire officials said it crashed in an open area near the Piave River north of Treviso, between the towns of Maserata Sul Piave and Santa Lucia Di Piave.

Italy's ANSA news agency said the helicopter crashed near the bridge of a major highway and that the road was closed as a precaution.

The helicopter had taken off from the nearby Aviano Air Base, but fire authorities could not confirm whether the helicopter was leaving or returning to the base, according to ANSA.

The Black Hawk is considered the workhorse of the military's helicopter fleet. It is used daily in multiple missions in Iraq and Afghanistan to carry troops and equipment.

The military has been using Black Hawks for about three decades. The helicopter's first combat mission was about 25 years ago.

CNN's Hada Messia and Barbara Starr contributed to this report

http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/europe/11/08/italy.crash/?iref=mpstoryview