Accident during Nato training in Latvia: Italian vehicle hit by friendly fire

A vehicle with four Army members engaged in NATO training was hit by a non-automated firearm installed on another Italian military vehicle. No one's life is in danger

Accident for Italian soldiers during NATO training in Latvia. During a fire exercise in Ādaži, a vehicle with four Italian Army soldiers belonging to the 11 Bersaglieri Regiment, engaged in the NATO Forward Land Forces (FLF) mission, was hit by a non-automated firearm installed on another Italian military vehicle. The four, one of whom is in more serious condition, were immediately rescued and transferred to a health facility in Riga, where they are currently undergoing the necessary treatment and checks: none of them are in danger of their lives.

The dynamics of the accident

According to informed sources, a machine gun burst was accidentally fired from a 'dart' armored vehicle onto another vehicle of the same type preceding it with the door open, perhaps because the soldiers were getting out of the vehicle. Three of the four injured soldiers are well and have already contacted their families in person while a fourth, the one in conditions considered more serious, is stable.

Ministry of Defence: "Necessary checks have started"

"All the necessary checks were immediately started - we read on Defense profile X - to ascertain the causes and reconstruct the dynamics of the event. The family members have been informed". Minister Guido Crosetto is constantly informed by the Chief of Defense Staff, General Luciano Portolano, and by the COVI commander, Army Corps General Giovanni Maria Iannucci, on the conditions of the four soldiers and on the developments of the ongoing investigations. "The minister, the military leaders and the entire Defense are close to their wounded comrades and their families with the hope of a speedy recovery".