Four Dead, 11 Injured as Italian Military Helicopter Crashes During EU Mission in Bosnia

Image Credit: REUTERS

Four personnel serving with the European Union peacekeeping force in Bosnia and Herzegovina have been killed after an Italian military helicopter crashed during a routine training operation in the country’s north. Eleven others were injured in the accident, which occurred on Thursday, October 29, near the village of Gorice in the Brčko District, approximately 180 kilometres north of the capital, Sarajevo.

The aircraft, an Italian CH-47 Chinook helicopter, was carrying 15 people when it crashed. According to Italy’s Defence Ministry, the four people who died included two members of the Italian Armed Forces and two personnel from the Italian Red Cross’s Volunteer Military Corps. The injured were taken to medical facilities for treatment, with officials confirming that none of their conditions was life-threatening.

The crash prompted an emergency response involving local authorities and EUFOR personnel. Images published by Bosnian media showed the helicopter overturned and severely damaged at the crash site. EUFOR confirmed that no civilians were injured and that no civilian infrastructure, vehicles or property were damaged. The force has launched a full investigation to establish what caused the aircraft to go down, but officials have not yet identified a possible cause.

The tragedy has drawn reactions from Italian leaders, with Defence Minister Guido Crosetto expressing condolences to the victims’ families and describing the loss as deeply painful. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni also offered her sympathy to those affected, recognising the personnel who were serving as part of the mission to promote peace and stability in the region.

The helicopter was operating under Operation Althea, the European Union’s military mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Established in 2004, EUFOR took over peacekeeping responsibilities from NATO following the end of the Bosnian War. Its mission is to help maintain a safe and secure environment and support the implementation of the Dayton Peace Agreement, which brought the 1992–1995 conflict to an end. The force operates under a United Nations Security Council mandate and has approximately 1,200 personnel deployed in the country.

As investigations continue, authorities are expected to establish the circumstances surrounding the crash and determine whether mechanical failure, operational difficulties or other factors contributed to the accident. The incident represents a major loss for the Italian contingent and the wider EU peacekeeping mission, as families and colleagues mourn the four personnel who died while serving in Bosnia.