An Italian military helicopter integrated into the EUFOR Althea operation, the European Union deployment in Bosnia and Herzegovina, has crashed to the ground this Thursday for causes that are being investigated, according to a statement from the Italian Ministry of Defense.
For now there is no official confirmation regarding possible deaths or injuries, although the prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, has circulated a message of condolence in which she alludes to "victims" in a "tragic accident".
"My thoughts go to the victims, their families, and all those who, committed to the mission for peace and stability in the region, are experiencing hours of anguish. To them goes my most sincere closeness and that of the Italian Government", the head of government has said.
The helicopter involved in the accident is a Chinook CH-47 transport model and crashed in the Gorica area, near Brcko, while carrying out a routine operation, according to information released by the Bosnian portal Raport.
EUFOR constitutes the military presence of the European Union in Bosnia and Herzegovina, charged with overseeing the implementation of the Dayton agreement, which ended the armed conflict in the Balkan country.
The Althea operation has an approximate contingent of 1,100 military personnel from some 24 countries.
The head of European diplomacy, Kaja Kallas, has also joined the expressions of condolence. "Europe is in full solidarity with Italy at this very difficult time. We remain in close contact with the EUFOR Command and our EU representatives on the ground", she stated.