Eight die in Italian helicopter

An Italian military helicopter has crashed in flames in eastern France, killing all eight passengers, French officials have said.

They said the helicopter, a search and rescue Sikorsky HH3F Pelican, came down near the town of Vaubecourt in the Meuse department.

The Italian defence ministry said the helicopter had been engaged in manoeuvres with the French military.

The helicopter came down in a field amid good weather conditions.

An Italian military spokesman told Reuters news agency: "It caught fire at 4.30pm local time (1430GMT) in open countryside not far from Strasbourg. It was completely destroyed. We still don't know the causes."