TURIN, Sept 17 — An Italian military jet crashed during an exercise in Turin, hitting a car in which an entire family was travelling and killing a five-year-old girl, Defence Minister Guido Crosetto said yesterday.

Italian news agency AGI reported that the victim’s nine-year-old brother was seriously injured, while the two parents and the jet’s pilot were not in life-threatening danger.

"The ministry expresses its condolences to the family members,” Crosetto said in a statement, adding he "had made available every facility and skill for the handling of the emergency and in support of any people involved”.

Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini said on X, formerly known as Twitter, that the pilot got out of the jet by jumping with a parachute. "A terrible tragedy. A prayer and a hug of heartfelt condolences,” he said. — Reuters