Four hurt in Italy's military helicopter crash

An Italian military helicopter crashed on Tuesday near the city of Rimini on the Adriatic Sea injuring the four members of the crew, two of them seriously, reports said.

The helicopter violently crashed to the ground on a runway used by ultralight aircraft, Xinhua quoted Il Resto del Carlino newspaper as saying.

The pilot was thought to have attempted an emergency landing before the helicopter was completely destroyed in the impact. A fire broke out in the area, which was got under control by firefighters.

The four members of the crew were rushed to two separate hospitals, and two of them were reported to be in serious conditions.

The military helicopter was carrying out a flight training when the crash happened, according to national newspaper Corriere della Sera.

The newspaper said the accident could have been caused by a sudden technical fault and subsequent fire of the aircraft.

"The helicopter crashed for reasons that still have to be ascertained," Italian Defense Minister Roberta Pinotti said in an address to parliament.