Italian Chinook crashes in Bosnia, killing three

An Italian military helicopter crashed in northern Bosnia on Thursday, killing three people and wounding 12 others. The aircraft, a CH-47 Chinook operated by the European Union Force (EUFOR), went down in an area near the city of Brcko. Authorities confirmed the incident shortly after the crash site was located.

Sinisa Milic, the mayor of the Brcko district, told Serbo-Bosnian television station RTRS that three individuals died in the accident. He stated that 12 people received medical treatment, with one patient currently in critical condition. The EUFOR mission, which maintains a presence of 1,200 soldiers in the region, is currently conducting an investigation into the cause of the crash. Officials said they would release further details as the inquiry progresses.

The mission operates under a mandate from the United Nations Security Council. EUFOR assumed control from NATO in 2004 to help maintain security and oversee the military aspects of the peace agreement that ended the 1992 to 1995 war. In a separate statement, the force noted that no civilian infrastructure, private property, or vehicles were damaged in the crash. They also confirmed that no civilians were injured.

Local news outlet Klix published photographs of the wreckage, showing the destroyed helicopter resting on a grassy field. The mission’s primary role remains the supervision of military arrangements established by the post-war peace deal. The Italian aircraft was part of the multinational force tasked with stabilizing the region after the conflict.

The crash occurred in the northern part of the country, near the Brcko district. The EUFOR mission continues its daily operations while the investigation team examines the debris. The force will provide updates on the investigation status in the coming days.