Náměšť nad Oslavou, Czech Republic: A Czech military UH-1Y Venom helicopter crashed at the 22nd Helicopter Air Force Base in Náměšť nad Oslavou on Thursday, July 23, killing one soldier and injuring four others, according to the Czech Armed Forces and emergency services.
The helicopter came down shortly after noon directly within the military base at Náměšť nad Oslavou, located about 180 kilometres southeast of Prague. Five soldiers were aboard the aircraft at the time of the accident. The Czech Armed Forces confirmed that one member of the 22nd Helicopter Air Force Base died in the crash, while the other four occupants survived but were injured.
The identity of the deceased soldier and the names of the four injured personnel have not been publicly released by the Czech military in the official information available so far. Authorities have also not disclosed the specific purpose or nature of the flight at the time of the accident.
Following the crash, the four injured soldiers were transported to hospitals in Brno, Jihlava and Třebíč. Czech Armed Forces officials initially said that further details about their medical conditions could not be disclosed. Reuters later reported that three of the injured soldiers suffered medium-severity injuries and were taken to hospitals in Brno, while another soldier with mild injuries was transported to Jihlava. Three additional people were reportedly treated in Třebíč for smoke inhalation.
The crash triggered an immediate emergency response at the air base, with rescue and emergency teams deployed to the scene. Czech authorities subsequently launched an investigation to establish the circumstances and cause of the accident. No official cause has been announced.
The Czech Armed Forces said in an official statement: “Today 23 July afternoon, an UH-1Y Venom helicopter crashed at the 22nd Helicopter Air Force Base in Náměšť nad Oslavou. There were five people on board. Four soldiers were injured, one soldier died.”
The military added that one member of the 22nd Helicopter Air Force Base did not survive the crash and that the four crew members were transported to hospitals in Brno, Jihlava and Třebíč. It said further details about their health could not be released at that time.
The Czech Armed Forces also said: “The causes of this tragic accident will be investigated as soon as circumstances allow.”
In response to the accident, the Czech Army suspended operations of all helicopters belonging to its H-1 system until the investigation was completed. The affected fleet includes the UH-1Y Venom and AH-1Z Viper helicopters.
Czech Defence Minister Jaromír Zůna described the crash as an “immense tragedy” and said the incident had “deeply affected us all.” He added that emergency services and the investigation commission were working at the scene to determine the circumstances and causes of the accident.
The Czech Armed Forces expressed condolences to the family, loved ones, friends and colleagues of the soldier who died, while emphasizing that providing care and support to the injured soldiers and their families remained the immediate priority.
The UH-1Y Venom involved in the accident is a twin-engine, multi-purpose military helicopter manufactured by Bell Textron. The type forms part of the Czech Republic’s modern H-1 helicopter fleet alongside the AH-1Z Viper attack helicopter.
At present, authorities have not released the helicopter’s individual registration or serial number, nor have they publicly identified the five soldiers aboard. There is also no official information indicating that the crash was connected to a particular military exercise, operational deployment or training mission. The cause of the accident remains under investigation.
The investigation is expected to determine what happened in the moments leading up to the crash and whether mechanical failure, operational factors, human error or other circumstances played a role. Until the findings are released, the exact cause remains unknown.
