Translated automatically by AI from the Italian original.
BRČKO / SARAJEVO – A dramatic incident in the skies over the Balkans. An Italian military CH-47 helicopter, deployed as part of the international Eufor Althea mission in Bosnia-Herzegovina, crashed this afternoon for reasons still under investigation.
The impact was confirmed by the mayor of Brčko, Siniša Milić, who provided an initial and tragic toll: 3 dead and 12 injured.
“All the injured have been taken to Brčko hospital, where medical staff are currently on maximum alert.”
— Siniša Milić, mayor of Brčko
The clinical picture of the injured was also corroborated by statements from Salih Ibrahimbegović, spokesperson for the Brčko Health Centre. The official nationalities of those involved or killed in the crash have not yet been disclosed.
The Defence Ministry statement and Eufor communiqué
The Italian Defence Ministry has exercised the utmost caution, stating in an official note that “it is not possible to release further statements, pending more precise and verified information, especially regarding the health and condition of the personnel involved”.
From the mission command headquarters in Sarajevo, the first operational details have emerged:
“Eufor confirms that today an incident occurred during a routine operation in the Brčko region, causing one of its aircraft to crash. We urge the public not to spread unverified news and to rely solely on official information channels.”
Investigation into the causes of the crash
Military authorities and Eufor investigative forces have begun procedures to secure the crash site in order to carry out the technical surveys needed to clarify the dynamics of the failure or manoeuvring error.
The identities of the personnel on board and the definitive details on the causes of the incident will be released only after the investigations are completed and the families have been officially notified.
