Wedding bouquet tradition causes plane crash in Italy

13:5513/07/2009

MOSCOW, July 13, (RIA Novosti) - The tradition of the bride throwing the wedding bouquet led to a plane crash in Livorno on Italy's western coast, Corriere della Sera said.

The centuries old tradition of the bride throwing the wedding bouquet to a group of single women turned into a tragedy after the happy couple hired a light plane in an effort to add some novelty to the custom.

The light aircraft was supposed to fly over a line of single women and a passenger on the aircraft, Isidoro Pensieri, was supposed to throw the bouquet out. However it all went horribly wrong when the bouquet was sucked into the plane's engine, which caught fire and exploded.

The aircraft went into a nosedive and hit a nearby hostel where some 50 people were accommodated. Fortunately no one was hurt.

Pensieri received multiple fractures and a head injury, while the plane's 61-year-old pilot, Luciano Nannelli, escaped almost unharmed.

However the incident completely spoiled the wedding party with all the guests leaving following the crash.

The bouquet is supposed to bring luck to the woman who catches it as according to tradition, she is the next to marry.