Newsday

FLORENCE, Italy (AP) -- A small jet carrying the British singer-songwriter Sting skidded off the runway at Florence's airport Monday night, but the Grammy-winning musician walked away unhurt, Italian news reports said.

Sting, a friend and two pilots were aboard the Cessna Citation 5 when it went off the runway and through some safety netting before coming to a stop on a grassy knoll, the ANSA news agency said.

The cause of the accident was under investigation, but ANSA suggested the brakes may have malfunctioned.

Sting walked off the plane and drove with his friend to his home in nearby Figline Valdarno, ANSA said.

AP-NY-04-30-01 1607EDT< 

-- Rachel Gibson (rgibson@hotmail.com), April 30, 2001