The PZL W-3 Sokol military helicopter of Polish army crashed at Massanzago, in the Veneto province of Padua, during an exercise on Thursday, sources said.

The six military personnel aboard, five Poles and a French national, got out alive and did not suffer serious injury, the sources said. The aircraft was part of a group flying in formation when the officials on board spotted flames.

The pilot attempted an emergency landing in a field but the aircraft hit the ground hard and caught fire after the impact. Firefighters have put out the blaze.

The PZL W-3 Sokol is a twin-engined medium utility helicopter produced by the Polish manufacturer WSK PZL-Swidnik, today PZL-Swidnik S.A. (a subsidiary of AgustaWestland).