Published on •Updated
An Italian helicopter taking part in an EU peacekeeping operation has crashed near the town of Brčko in northern Bosnia and Herzegovina.
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The European Union’s EUFOR military mission confirmed the CH-47 Chinook helicopter had crashed on Thursday afternoon. A spokesman said four crew members had been killed and 11 were injured.
A spokesman for Brčko hospital, said three of the 15 crew members on board the helicopter were killed in the crash and a fourth died in hospital.
“Twelve people were brought to our hospital. Unfortunately, a fourth person died from his injuries in hospital,” said the spokesman, Salih Ibrahimbegovic.
EUFOR also said no civilians had been injured and no civilian infrastructure, property or vehicles were damaged in the crash.
The crash happened in Gorice, about 180 kilometres (110 miles) northeast of Sarajevo.
“As a result of this crash, a number of EUFOR personnel tragically lost their lives, and others were seriously injured,” EUFOR said in a later statement.
Bosnia’s Defence Ministry said “it is not possible to issue further statements, while awaiting more precise information, above all about the state of health of the personnel”.
EUFOR has urged people not to spread unverified information or disinformation and to rely on official channels for updates on the incident.
Brčko district mayor Siniša Milić said three people had died and 12 had been injured, with one of those injured in a critical condition.
“All have been treated in a hospital in Brčko. Medical staff are on alert,” he said.
Further details about those on board and the cause of the crash are expected to be released once the authorities have completed their investigation.
EUFOR’s roughly 1,200-strong mission has operated in Bosnia since 2004, when it took over from NATO. It works under a UN Security Council mandate to help maintain security and oversee the military provisions of the peace agreement that ended the 1992–95 war.
Additional sources • AFP
