Italian military helicopter crashes during EU mission in Bosnia, killing four
Four people died after an Italian military CH-47 Chinook helicopter crashed during an EUFOR Althea training exercise in northeastern Bosnia-Herzegovina.
An Italian military CH-47 Chinook helicopter participating in the EU-led EUFOR Althea peacekeeping mission crashed near Brčko in northeastern Bosnia-Herzegovina. Four people were killed in the incident, including military personnel and Red Cross volunteers, while several others sustained injuries.
Preliminary reports indicate the aircraft experienced an abnormality during takeoff during a routine training exercise, causing it to rapidly descend before striking the ground. Italy's Ministry of Defence confirmed the crash and stated that the precise causes remain under investigation. EUFOR Althea, which has operated under a United Nations mandate since replacing NATO forces in 2004, maintains approximately 1,100 personnel in the country, including roughly 200 Italian troops focused on training and regional stability.
Sources: ANSA, Corriere della Sera, Il Messaggero, Il Sole 24 Ore, La Repubblica.
Sources
- Corriere della Sera — Eufor Althea, la missione europea da 22 anni in Bosnia-Erzegovina
- ANSA — Un elicottero militare italiano cade in Bosnia, quattro morti
- Il Sole 24 Ore — Schianto di un elicottero militare italiano in Bosnia, «4 vittime e numerosi feriti». Morti due operatori della Croce Rossa
- Il Messaggero — Elicottero dell?Esercito cade in Bosnia: 4 morti e 11 feriti. La Difesa: «Cause da accertare». Tra le ipotesi anomalia durante il decollo
- La Repubblica — Il pilota, lo specialista, la sergente e l’infermiere: chi sono le vittime