The key facts

  • A CH-47 Chinook helicopter of the EUFOR mission crashed near the city of Brčko in northern Bosnia
  • The mayor of Brčko reported three dead and twelve injured, all taken to the city hospital
  • The cause of the crash and the identities of those on board have not yet been disclosed

Crash near Brčko

An Italian military helicopter taking part in the European Union peacekeeping operation crashed on Thursday afternoon in the locality of Gorice near the city of Brčko in northern Bosnia and Herzegovina, about 180 kilometres northeast of Sarajevo. This was reported by Euronews citing statements from the EUFOR mission. The aircraft involved was a CH-47 Chinook helicopter that was part of the EU military mission in the country.

Casualty figures differ between reports

In its initial statements, EUFOR spoke only of a 'number' of killed crew members and other injured people, without giving exact figures. Later, the mayor of Brčko, Siniša Milić, provided specific data: 'Three people were killed and twelve were injured. All of them received treatment at the hospital in Brčko. Medical staff have been put on standby.' The Ministry of Defence of Bosnia and Herzegovina, for its part, said it could not provide further comments until more precise information becomes available, above all about the condition of those affected. Thus, the final casualty figures have not yet been officially confirmed.

What is known and what remains unknown

EUFOR urged citizens not to spread unverified information and disinformation and to obtain information about the incident exclusively through official channels. The identities of those on board, as well as the cause of the crash, will be made public once the authorities complete the necessary checks and publish the results of the investigation. Until then, no official versions of what happened have been voiced.