SARAJEVO: Four people, including two Italian soldiers and two Red Cross military volunteers, were killed and 11 others injured after a CH-47 Chinook helicopter serving with the European Union’s peacekeeping force crashed during a routine training flight in northern Bosnia and Herzegovina on Thursday.
The European Union Force (EUFOR) confirmed that the Italian military helicopter crashed on October 29 in the Gorice area of the Brčko District, approximately 180 kilometres north of Sarajevo.
According to Italy’s Defence Ministry, all 15 people aboard the aircraft were Italian nationals. The four fatalities included two members of the Italian Army and two members of the Italian Red Cross’s Volunteer Military Corps.
All 11 injured personnel are receiving medical treatment, and none is in life-threatening condition, the ministry said.
Rescue teams respond to helicopter crash
Emergency services from Bosnia and Herzegovina and EUFOR personnel responded to the crash site and transported the injured to medical facilities.
According to local reports, 12 people were initially taken to Brčko Hospital, where three were pronounced dead. A fourth person later succumbed to injuries.
Two of the injured were subsequently transferred to a medical facility in Tuzla for further treatment, while the remaining nine continued receiving care in Brčko.
EUFOR said no civilians were injured in the incident and no civilian infrastructure, property or vehicles were damaged.
Images published by local media showed the military transport helicopter overturned and severely damaged in a grassy field near Gorice.
Investigation launched into crash
EUFOR said a comprehensive investigation had been launched to establish the circumstances surrounding the accident.
Italy’s Defence Ministry also confirmed that inquiries were underway to determine the cause of the crash and reconstruct the sequence of events.
Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto expressed condolences to the families of those killed, describing the incident as a profound loss for the country’s defence community.
The ministry also arranged for an Italian medical team to be deployed to Bosnia to support the treatment of the injured personnel.
What is EUFOR’s mission in Bosnia?
The helicopter was operating as part of Operation Althea, the European Union’s military peacekeeping mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
EUFOR took over the peacekeeping responsibilities from NATO in December 2004 and operates under a United Nations Security Council mandate.
Its principal responsibility is to maintain a safe and secure environment and oversee the military provisions of the Dayton Peace Agreement, which ended the 1992–1995 Bosnian War.
The mission has approximately 1,200 personnel and continues to support stability in the Balkan country.
EUFOR said it would release further verified information about the incident as the investigation progresses.
