Investigators attend the scene of an Italian military helicopter that crashed Thursday Oct.23, 2008 near Bar-le-Duc, northeastern France, killing all eight people on board. The helicopter, one of two on its way from France to Belgium, went down about 4:30 p.m. (1430 GMT) in the Meuse region between the towns of Lisles-en-Barrois and Vaubecourt, police and officials said.(Xinhua/AFP Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    PARIS, Oct. 23 (Xinhua) -- An Italian military helicopter crashed in France's eastern province of Meuse on Thursday, killing all the eight people on board, said French police officials.

    The helicopter fell down Thursday afternoon in a field far from residential zones and burst into flames. French firefighters arrived at the spot in no time, but none of the eight aboard survived, the officials said.

    According to the Italian defence ministry, the aircraft, a HH3Fmodel, was to join a France-Italy military drill in France.

    Preliminary investigation showed that the weather condition was good when the accident occurred.

    The cause of the accident is to be determined after further inquiry.

Investigators attend the scene of an Italian military helicopter that crashed Thursday Oct.23, 2008 near Bar-le-Duc, northeastern France, killing all eight people on board. The helicopter, one of two on its way from France to Belgium, went down about 4:30 p.m. (1430 GMT) in the Meuse region between the towns of Lisles-en-Barrois and Vaubecourt, police and officials said.(Xinhua/AFP Photo) Photo Gallery>>>