How Did 4 People Die and 11 Get Injured in the EUFOR Chinook Crash Near Brcko, Bosnia?

Quick answer: Four people died and 11 others were injured when an Italian military CH-47 Chinook helicopter serving with the European Union Force in Bosnia (EUFOR) crashed during routine training in the Brcko region of Bosnia and Herzegovina on Thursday 29 October 2026. All four people who died were Italian nationals, and EUFOR said the injured were receiving treatment and were in stable condition.

Key facts

• What: Helicopter crash during routine training
• Where: Brcko region, Bosnia and Herzegovina, about 180km (110 miles) north of Sarajevo
• When: Thursday 29 October 2026
• Aircraft: CH-47 Chinook helicopter, Italian military, serving with EUFOR
• On board: 15 people
• Toll: 4 killed and 11 injured
• Who died: Two soldiers and two Red Cross volunteers, all Italian nationals, according to the Italian defence ministry
• Status: EUFOR investigation under way

What happened

EUFOR said the CH-47 Chinook crashed during “routine training” in the Brcko region on Thursday, about 180km north of Bosnia’s capital, Sarajevo. The Italian government said in a statement that all those on board the military helicopter were its nationals.

Bosnian media outlets published photos of the wreckage showing the helicopter overturned on the ground in a flat field. The cause of the crash had not been confirmed in the reporting available at the time of publication, and no cause should be assumed until EUFOR completes its investigation.

The toll at Brcko hospital

A spokesman for Brcko hospital told the AFP news agency that there were 15 people on board at the time of the crash, which initially killed three people. Twelve people were transported to the hospital, and a fourth person later succumbed to injuries there.

EUFOR said a total of 11 people were injured in the crash, adding that all the injured were receiving treatment and were in stable condition. The victims who died were two soldiers and two Red Cross volunteers, according to the Italian defence ministry.

Condolences from Italy

Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto said: “At this moment of immense grief, my thoughts go first and foremost to the families of our fallen, to whom I extend my personal condolences and those of the entire defence establishment.”

The statement reflected the loss felt in Italy, where the four people who died were nationals serving with the EUFOR mission in Bosnia. Their names had not been published in the reporting available at the time of publication.

The EUFOR mission in Bosnia

EUFOR, which has between 1,000 and 1,500 personnel, has been deployed in Bosnia since 2004, when it replaced a NATO peacekeeping force that had been in the country since the Bosnian War ended in 1995. The mission oversees the implementation of the Dayton Peace Agreement, which ended the three-year war.

The crash therefore involved a long-established international peacekeeping mission, rather than a commercial or civilian flight. That context matters for readers following the investigation, because EUFOR itself is conducting the inquiry into what happened.

What happens next

EUFOR said it was conducting a full and thorough investigation of the incident and would release more information as it was verified, and when appropriate. Further detail on the cause, the condition of the injured and any formal findings should come from EUFOR and the Italian authorities.

Source: Al Jazeera, 30 October 2026, reporting AFP and Reuters.

Frequently asked questions

How many people died in the Brcko helicopter crash?

Four people died. Three were killed in the crash itself and a fourth person later died in Brcko hospital, according to a hospital spokesman quoted by AFP.

How many people were injured?

Eleven people were injured. EUFOR said all the injured were receiving treatment and were in stable condition.

Who were the four people who died?

Two soldiers and two Red Cross volunteers, according to the Italian defence ministry. All four were Italian nationals, and all those on board were Italian nationals, according to a statement from the Italian government.

Where did the crash happen?

In the Brcko region of Bosnia and Herzegovina, about 180km (110 miles) north of Sarajevo, during routine training.

What aircraft was involved?

A CH-47 Chinook helicopter belonging to the Italian military contingent of EUFOR. There were 15 people on board.

What happens next?

EUFOR is conducting a full and thorough investigation and said it would release more information as it was verified, and when appropriate. The cause had not been confirmed in the reporting available at the time of publication.