A military plane carrying 104 elite security personnel on their way to the Italian Milano-Cortina Winter Olympic Games has crashed into a lighting tower. The Qatari air force’s C-17 Globemaster II bumped into the structure at Milan Malpensa airport, as it made “a wrong” maneuver on the tarmac, according to Milano Today. There were no reports of any injuries. The Lekhwiya security force members traveled with snowmobiles and trucks and were met by a welcoming committee that included their ambassador to Italy. Their country is not competing at the Games, but they were similarly present Paris Olympics in 2024, with a source at the Italian interior ministry telling The Guardian they are there “mainly in a training” capacity. The 6,000-strong Italian security detail, drawn from various police units, will be bolstered not only by Lekhwiya but also by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement personnel. ICE has been at the heart of President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown that has deported thousands, sparked outrage globally and led to the death of two U.S. citizens. An anti-ICE protest is planned in Milan on Saturday. Italian officials have stressed that they will not assist with immigration operations.
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