Italy's prime minister Paolo Gentiloni on Friday voiced his condolences over the military helicopter crash in the Mediterranean overnight in which a serviceman, Andrea Fazio, lost his life.
Gentiloni conveyed his condolences over the tragedy in a phone call to Italy's defence minister Roberta Pinotti , who earlier on Friday expressed her sympathy to Fazio's family for their loss.
The Italian navy said the SH 212 helicopter plunged into the central Mediterranean during a nighttime exercise near its base ship, the Borsini. The causes of the crash are yet to be established.
Fazi was pulled out of the helicopter by Navy frogmen but died during attempts to resuscitate him. The other four crew members survived the crash, according to the navy.