The terrifying moment an Italian Army CH-47 Chinook helicopter spiraled wildly out of control and plunged into a field in Bosnia and Herzegovina has been captured on shocking video, as the death toll from the tragedy rose to four.
The heavy-lift tandem-rotor aircraft, operating with the European Union Force (EUFOR) Althea mission, was conducting routine training near the village of Gorice in the Brčko District on Thursday afternoon when it suddenly began rotating in the air before slamming into the ground.
Dramatic footage circulating online shows the massive dark-green helicopter lifting into the overcast sky, its dual rotors whirring, before it abruptly loses stability, spins in a descending spiral, and crashes into open countryside, kicking up a huge cloud of dust and debris as it breaks apart on impact.
All 15 people aboard were Italian nationals. Four died: two Italian Army Aviation sergeants and two members of the Italian Military Red Cross Volunteer Corps. Eleven others were injured but are reported to be in stable condition, with some transferred to a hospital in Tuzla and others treated in Brčko. No civilians were hurt and there was no damage to property.
The victims were named by Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto as Sergeant Simone Ruggia and Sergeant Claudio Marchesi of the Army Aviation Command (Aves) at Viterbo, both assigned to the 1st “Antares” Regiment; Lieutenant Franco Adriano Zecchillo of the Red Cross Military Corps; and Sergeant Laura Procacci, also of the Red Cross.
Ruggia, originally from Salerno and based in Viterbo for about eight years, and Marchesi, 35, from the Orvieto area and a keen skier and footballer, were the pilot and onboard specialist. Marchesi had once posted a photo of himself on snow with the caption: “Since I started walking, I like to run.”
Among the most poignant losses is that of Sergeant Laura Procacci, a 24-year-old from Andria in Puglia. She was the first woman from her town to swear the oath as a non-commissioned officer in the Italian Red Cross Military Corps and was on her first mission. She had recently received the Dea Ebe 2026 award for her dedication to service and had been studying medicine in Rome before volunteering.
Lieutenant Zecchillo, a doctor from the Milan area, was part of the medical evacuation team on board. A third Red Cross member survived but was injured.
EUFOR confirmed the crash occurred during routine training and said a full investigation is underway. Italian officials have also opened inquiries. Authorities are examining possible factors, including mechanical failure—particularly issues with the tandem rotor system or transmission—or other technical problems, though they have urged against speculation.
The wreckage was found scattered across a field near the first houses of Gorice. Local emergency services, firefighters, and EUFOR teams responded rapidly. A large amount of fuel spilled at the site, requiring careful handling.
Italy has a significant contingent in EUFOR Althea, the EU-led peacekeeping force that has operated in Bosnia and Herzegovina since 2004 to support stability and train local forces. The Chinook was one of two ICH-47F variants (Italy’s version of the Boeing CH-47F) deployed with the Italian Army aviation detachment.
Italian leaders expressed deep sorrow. Defence Minister Crosetto said his thoughts were with the families of those who “lost their lives serving Italy, the Defence and the Army.” President Sergio Mattarella and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni also sent condolences. NATO’s Military Committee Chairman, Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, offered sympathy on behalf of the alliance.
The video, first shared widely on social media and reported by accounts tracking the incident, provides a stark visual record of the aircraft’s final moments as it rotated uncontrollably before the fatal impact. Investigators will now examine flight data, wreckage, and witness accounts to determine what caused the loss of control so soon after the aircraft left the ground.
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