Adnkronos (Adnkronos) –
An Italian military helicopter has crashed in Bosnia. According to local media, at least three people have died. Twelve people have been injured, according to the Bosnian news agency Fena, citing local health sources, which did not disclose details about the victims' nationalities.
This afternoon, October 29, an Italian CH-47 helicopter, engaged in Operation EUFOR Althea, crashed for reasons still under investigation.
The Ministry of Defense emphasizes that "rescue operations were promptly implemented." At this time, it is specified, "no further statements can be made, pending more precise information, especially regarding the health conditions of the personnel." The EUFOR mission command in Sarajevo specifies that the incident occurred in the Brcko region. "EUFOR can confirm that an incident occurred today during a routine operation in the Brcko region, resulting in the crash of one of its aircraft," a statement read.
EUFOR ruled out any civilian injuries or material damage caused by the incident.
The CH-47 is an aircraft manufactured by Boeing and has been in service with the Italian Army for over fifty years. The helicopter is extremely versatile and is used in both operational missions and humanitarian interventions both domestically and abroad.
The Italian Army, in the factsheet on its website, focuses in particular on the CH-47 “F” model, an evolution of the CH-47, characterised by a strong digitalisation of the controls and the control panel: these features make it capable of operating in environmental conditions where phenomena known as brown-out (operations on dusty terrain) and white-out (operations on snowy terrain) can cause spatial disorientation for crews.
The CH-47 F can interface with the most modern Command and Control systems currently in use by the Armed Forces.
The CH-47 component is crucial for its multi-role capabilities, so much so that this helicopter has always been a cornerstone of the Italian Army Aviation. "This latest-generation aircraft, while retaining the load-bearing capacity and versatility of the previous version, allows for the full benefits of modern technologies. These, combined with the experience gained over the years, allow for a capability fully in line with the highest operational standards required by modern deployment scenarios," the factsheet states. "The CH-47F helicopters are being built under a Joint Industrial Agreement with Boeing, which sees Leonardo as the prime contractor for the Italian ICH-47F program, with responsibility for systems integration and final assembly. Boeing Rotorcraft Systems builds the fuselages at its facility in Ridley Park, USA."
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