Italian hunter and son killed in 'friendly fire' incident in Zimbabwe(Photo)

An Italian hunter and his son have been killed in a 'friendly fire' incident as they took part in an anti-poaching operation in Zimbabwe.

Claudio Chiarelli, 65 and his son Max, 28, were members of the volunteer anti-poaching organisation Zambezi Society and were conducting patrols in Mana Pools National Park, northern Zimbabwe, at the weekend, the Telegraph reports.

The two men had been with a group sent out to relieve a team of rangers who had been deployed to follow suspected elephant poachers.The rangers were said to have been alarmed by movement in the trees and heard voices. They opened fire and killed the pair, Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority confirmed.An investigation has been launched by the authorities to fully determine the circumstances surrounding the incident, which happened on Sunday.