Four Italian soldiers injured in friendly-fire incident during Latvia drills

Four Italian servicemen were injured during live-fire military exercises at the Adazi training range in Latvia on Friday, September 25, after fire from one Italian infantry fighting vehicle struck another.

Italy’s Defence Ministry said the injured soldiers serve with the 11th Bersaglieri Regiment and are deployed in Latvia as part of NATO’s Forward Land Forces mission.

According to official information, a weapon mounted on one Italian combat vehicle hit another Italian vehicle for reasons that have not yet been established. Four servicemen were inside the vehicle that was struck, and all were taken to a medical facility in Riga.

One of the injured soldiers is in more serious condition, but the Defence Ministry said none of the four suffered life-threatening injuries.

Italian newspaper Il Fatto Quotidiano published a more detailed preliminary reconstruction, reporting that a burst of machine-gun fire was accidentally discharged from a Dardo infantry fighting vehicle and struck another Dardo that was travelling ahead with its hatch open.

The report suggested that the fire may have come from the vehicles’ coaxial 7.62 mm machine gun. However, the weapon involved has not been conclusively established and will be determined by the investigation. Initial reports that the vehicle may have been hit by cannon fire have not been confirmed.

Italy’s Defence Ministry has launched an investigation into the incident. The families of the injured servicemen have been informed, while Defence Minister Guido Crosetto is receiving updates on their condition and the progress of the inquiry.

By Tamilla Hasanova