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CatastropheItaly

Plane crash near Milan kills all aboard, hits building

October 3, 2021

A tourist plane that took off from Milan Linate airport crashed in a suburb killing all on board. Italian media has reported that Romanian billionaire Dan Petrescu was flying the aircraft.

https://p.dw.com/p/41COT
Emergency personnel work at the scene where a small plane crashed into a building in San Donato Milanese, Italy
Emergency personnel work at the scene where a small plane crashed into a building in San Donato Milanese, ItalyImage: Flavio Lo Scalzo/REUTERS

A light aircraft that took off from Milan Linate airport crashed early Sunday afternoon, killing all eight on board, including a boy, according to Italian media reports.

The single-engine aircraft was on its way to Olbia in Sardinia when it hit a building in San Donato Milanese, a small town less than 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) from the airport where it took off.

The building caught fire and was left charred. It was reportedly under renovation with no one in it at the time.

Romanian billionaire reported to be on flight

Italian news agencies reported that Romanian billionaire Dan Petrescu was killed in the crash. His wife and 30-year-old son were also reported to have been on board, including a young child.

Italy's Corriere della Sera newspaper reported that Petrescu also held German citizenship. He was head of a major construction company and ran a number of malls and supermarkets, according to Romanian media.

Witnesses said the engine appeared to have caught fire and the plane dived, with no maneuvers reported.

A video shared on Twitter showed a building engulfed in flames, apparently taken shortly after the plane crashed. 

Carlo Cardinali of the Milan fire brigade told the ANSA news agency, "The impact was devastating," adding, "So far we have only been able to find one body."

The National Agency for Flight Safety (ANSV) said it has opened an investigation into the incident.

kb,ar/aw (AP, AFP, dpa)