A heavy-lift Italian Army helicopter flying for the European Union’s peacekeeping mission came down in north-eastern Bosnia and Herzegovina on Thursday afternoon. The twin-rotor CH-47 Chinook belonged to EUFOR Althea and crashed close to the village of Gorice in the Brčko district, near the border with Serbia.
Local officials gave the first figures. Brčko mayor Siniša Milić told reporters that three people had died and twelve were injured, all of them taken to the town hospital, but he did not say where the victims came from. EUFOR confirmed that several members of the mission were killed and others badly hurt. The force stressed that no bystanders were injured and no homes, roads or cars were damaged.
In Rome, the defence ministry confirmed the loss of the aircraft while holding back details until it had a clearer picture of the crew’s condition. Nobody has yet named a cause. Witnesses quoted by Bosnian media described the Chinook spinning in the air before it hit the ground, and the airframe was destroyed on impact.
Police and firefighters cordoned off the area. EUFOR promised a full inquiry and asked people to avoid spreading unconfirmed claims, pointing them to official channels for updates.
Italy currently commands the mission, which has kept a security presence in the country since 2004. Its aviation detachment there flies Chinooks and smaller AB205 helicopters for troop and cargo transport, reconnaissance and joint training with Bosnian soldiers and police.
