Gorice village, Bosnia: An Italian Army Boeing CH-47 Chinook helicopter crashed during a routine training operation in northern Bosnia and Herzegovina on October 29, 2026 killing four people and injuring 11 others onboard. The aircraft was deployed in support of the European Union Force (EUFOR) Althea peacekeeping mission. All 15 people aboard were accounted for, with the Italian Ministry of Defence confirming that two of the deceased belonged to the Italian Army and two to the Italian Red Cross Volunteer Military Corps.
The accident occurred in the Gorice area of Brčko District, approximately 180 km northeast of Sarajevo. The helicopter was conducting routine training activities when it went down. According to the Associated Press (AP), EUFOR confirmed that the 11 injured personnel were in stable condition and receiving medical treatment. N1 Sarajevo subsequently reported that nine injured personnel were receiving treatment in Brčko, while two had been transferred to a medical facility in Tuzla for further care.
Italian news agency ANSA identified the four deceased personnel as Sergeant Simone Ruggia and Sergeant Claudio Marchesi of the Italian Army Aviation Command (AVES), Lieutenant Franco Adriano Zecchillo and Sergeant Laura Procacci of the Italian Red Cross Volunteer Military Corps.
Ruggia was the helicopter’s pilot, while Marchesi served as an aircraft specialist. Both were attached to the 1st Regiment Antares training centre in Viterbo, Italy, which is responsible for training pilots and technical personnel and developing aircraft operating techniques.
Zecchillo was a doctor and Procacci was a nurse serving with the Italian Red Cross Volunteer Military Corps. ANSA also reported that another Red Cross medical evacuation team member was among those injured in the crash. The identities and individual roles of the remaining occupants have not been publicly disclosed.
The aircraft was a CH-47 Chinook operated by Italian Army Aviation. Aviation reporting identified it as an ICH-47F, the Italian Army configuration of Boeing’s CH-47F Chinook heavy-lift helicopter. The Italian Ministry of Defence’s initial statement identified the aircraft as a CH-47.
The helicopter was deployed under Operation EUFOR Althea, the European Union’s military operation in Bosnia and Herzegovina. According to ANSA, the aircraft reportedly departed from Viterbo, Italy, on the morning of October 29 and stopped at Pratica di Mare military airport before continuing to Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The helicopter was involved in one of the mission’s routine daily training activities when the accident occurred. However, authorities have not specified the precise training exercise being conducted or the intended flight profile.
Footage circulated on social media reportedly showed the helicopter rotating during its descent shortly before impact. However, the available footage does not establish what caused the aircraft to descend or lose control. No confirmed technical explanation has been released.
The Italian Ministry of Defence said investigations had begun to reconstruct the sequence of events and establish the circumstances surrounding the accident. Neither the ministry nor EUFOR has identified a mechanical failure, weather-related issue, operational error or any other specific cause.
Bosnian emergency medical services and EUFOR Liaison and Observation Team personnel responded to the crash site, recovered the injured and transported them to medical facilities in Brčko. Two injured personnel were subsequently transferred to Tuzla for further treatment.
EUFOR confirmed that no civilians were injured and that no civilian infrastructure, property or vehicles were damaged. The mission said a thorough investigation was underway and that further information would be released after verification.
In its statement, EUFOR said: “We understand the need for timely answers in situations such as this. However, accuracy must remain the priority.”
Italy’s Ministry of Defence confirmed the four fatalities and said all 11 injured personnel were receiving medical treatment, with none in life-threatening condition. It also arranged for an Italian medical team to provide additional assistance.
Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto expressed condolences to the families of the deceased, saying: “At this moment of immense grief, my thoughts go first and foremost to the families of our fallen.”
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni also expressed condolences, writing: “My thoughts are with the victims, their families, and all those who, as part of the mission to promote peace and stability in the region, are experiencing hours of anguish.”
EUFOR Althea is the European Union’s military peacekeeping operation in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It took over from NATO’s Stabilisation Force (SFOR) in December 2004 and operates under a United Nations Security Council mandate.
The mission supports the implementation of the Dayton Peace Agreement, which ended the 1992–1995 Bosnian War, and works to maintain a safe and secure environment in the country. According to AP, the mission comprises approximately 1,200 soldiers.
The investigation into the October 29 helicopter crash remains ongoing, with authorities yet to establish the cause of the accident.
