EU force helicopter crash kills four in Bosnia

What the report says

EUFOR has confirmed that four people were killed when a CH-47 Chinook helicopter belonging to the Italian contingent crashed in Bosnia and Herzegovina during a routine training flight. The crash happened on Thursday in the Brcko region, about 180km north of Sarajevo, according to the force and the Al Jazeera report based on AFP and Reuters.

Italian authorities said all of those on board were Italian nationals. The victims were identified by the Italian defence ministry as two soldiers and two Red Cross volunteers. EUFOR also said 11 people were injured and that those receiving treatment were in stable condition. A hospital spokesman quoted by AFP said the aircraft was carrying 15 people and that a fourth person later died from injuries after being taken to hospital.

Photographs published by Bosnian media showed the helicopter overturned in a flat field. EUFOR said it has launched a full investigation and will release further details once verified. Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto expressed condolences to the victims’ families.

The incident is significant because EUFOR has been present in Bosnia since 2004 to help oversee implementation of the Dayton Peace Agreement, which ended the 1992-1995 war, and its operations remain part of broader efforts to maintain stability in the country.