A military transport plane carrying more than 100 elite security personnel en route to the Milano-Cortina Winter Olympic Games clipped a lighting tower at Milan’s Malpensa Airport after making what officials described as a “wrong maneuver” on the tarmac.
The aircraft, a Qatari Air Force C-17 Globemaster II, was transporting 104 members of Qatar’s elite Lekhwiya security force when it struck the structure, according to Italian outlet Milano Today. Despite the dramatic mishap, authorities confirmed there were no injuries.
The security personnel arrived with snowmobiles and trucks and were greeted by a welcoming delegation that included Qatar’s ambassador to Italy. While Qatar is not competing in the upcoming Winter Games, its security forces are present in a support role. They played a similar role during the Paris Olympics in 2024, with an Italian interior ministry source previously telling The Guardian that their presence is “mainly in a training” capacity.
Italy’s security operation for the Games is already massive, with roughly 6,000 personnel drawn from multiple police units. That force will also be reinforced by international partners, including members of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
ICE’s involvement has sparked controversy, as the agency has been central to President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown — a campaign that has led to thousands of deportations, widespread international backlash, and the reported deaths of two U.S. citizens. An anti-ICE protest is scheduled to take place in Milan on Saturday.
Italian officials have moved quickly to tamp down concerns, stressing that foreign security forces will not be involved in immigration enforcement or related operations on Italian soil.
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