Balkans
Italian Chinook crash in Bosnia: investigators examine a rotor defect as Meloni honors the four victims
The EUFOR Althea helicopter went down near Brčko with 15 people on board: four were killed and 11 injured. The investigation could take weeks or months.
By ANN Newsroom · Newsroom
October 30, 2026, 21:40 · Updated 19:02 · 2 min read
In brief
- Four people, two soldiers and two members of the Italian Red Cross volunteer corps, died in the Oct. 29 crash.
- According to Tgcom24, the main line of inquiry is a defect in one of the two rotors, but power lines and human error are not ruled out.
- Meloni and Defense Minister Crosetto laid flowers at the Circus Maximus in honor of the dead.
Investigations into the crash of an Italian military CH-47F Chinook helicopter in Bosnia and Herzegovina began on Friday, a day after the accident on the afternoon of Oct. 29 near Brčko, in the north of the country. There were 15 people on board, part of the European mission EUFOR Althea. Italian army sergeants Simone Ruggia and Claudio Marchesi were killed, along with Lt. Franco Adriano Zecchillo and Sgt. Laura Procacci, members of the Italian Red Cross Military Volunteer Corps. The other 11 were injured, but according to the authorities none is in life-threatening condition.
Uncontrolled spin
According to witnesses quoted by ANSA, the helicopter was flying low when it suddenly began to spin and crashed in a rural, uninhabited area near the village of Gorica. Italian outlet Tgcom24 reports that the main line of inquiry is a technical defect in one of the two rotors, which on this model turn in opposite directions to keep the aircraft balanced. A possible collision with high-voltage cables during takeoff has also been mentioned, while human error has not been officially ruled out.
Authorities say it is too early to determine the cause: the testimony of the 11 survivors, flight data and analysis of the wreckage will be needed, so the investigation could take weeks or months. The Italian Defense Ministry and EUFOR have opened separate investigations; Rome has also sent a medical team for the injured.
Flowers at the Circus Maximus
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Defense Minister Guido Crosetto laid a bouquet of roses at the “Defense Village” at the Circus Maximus in Rome, set up ahead of Nov. 4, National Unity and Armed Forces Day. Meloni asked Italians to leave a flower for the fallen and wrote: “We will not forget you.” President Sergio Mattarella also offered his condolences.
The EUFOR Althea mission began in 2004 to support the implementation of the Dayton Agreement. Today about 1,600 troops from 24 countries serve in it, and Italy has the largest contingent, with about 300 personnel.
