Italian Red Cross survivor calls Bosnia helicopter crash a miracle

The sole surviving member of the Italian Red Cross medical crew has described his escape from a fatal military aircraft accident as a second chance at life, while national institutions prepare to receive the bodies of the four service members who lost their lives in the disaster. Lieutenant Colonel Flavio Favari, who is recovering from fractures at a hospital in Tuzla, recalled that the incident occurred in a split second following a very violent impact. The Italian Red Cross reported that Favari expressed profound gratitude to the Red Cross of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Defence Minister Guido Crosetto, and national president Rosario Valastro for their ongoing support during his hospitalisation.

The accident occurred on the afternoon of Thursday, October 29, 2026, when an Italian Army CH-47 Chinook helicopter crashed in the Gorice area near Brčko during routine training activities associated with the European Union's EUFOR Althea mission. According to Italian Ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina Sarah Castellani, all fifteen occupants on board the aircraft were Italian military personnel or attached Red Cross medical staff. The crash resulted in four deaths and eleven injuries. The Ministry of Defense deployed an Italian medical team to Bosnia-Herzegovina to oversee healthcare assistance for the survivors, confirming in initial assessments that none of the injured faced life-threatening conditions.

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The victims represented two distinct institutional branches. Sergeants Simone Ruggia and Claudio Marchesi served with the 1° Reggimento AVES «Antares» of the Aviazione dell'Esercito based in Viterbo. Lieutenant Franco Adriano Zecchillo and Sergeant Laura Procacci served in the Corpo Militare Volontario della Croce Rossa Italiana as part of the mission's medical evacuation team. Army Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Carmine Masiello paid tribute to the fallen personnel, praising the Red Cross as a historic and fraternal ally across operational theaters. Defence Minister Guido Crosetto oversaw the notification process for families and subsequently altered public military celebrations in Rome, cancelling the opening ceremony of the Defence Village at the Circus Maximus while maintaining the grounds as a place of reflection.

Investigators and aviation experts have begun examining footage of the accident to reconstruct the final moments of the flight. Ambassador Castellani noted that the incident transpired during takeoff or immediately afterward. Providing a preliminary technical assessment based on visual evidence, Lieutenant General Paolo Riccò, former commander of Army Aviation, suggested in an interview reported by Brigatafolgore that the sequence pointed toward a potential mechanical malfunction during the vertical takeoff phase rather than human error. Formal flight safety boards appointed by the Aeronautica Militare and army aviation will determine the definitive cause.

Tributes poured in across Italy as families and public figures marked the tragedy. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni shared a moving social media video created by photographer Daniel Sorza, which depicted the placement of a portrait of Sergeant Laura Procacci at the Rome defense memorial. Repubblica noted that Elisa Bersaglia, sister of injured service member Pietro Bersaglia, issued a public statement expressing relief for her family while offering condolences to the relatives of the deceased. Prime Minister Meloni thanked contributors for honoring those who serve in uniform.

What Happens Next

• The military aircraft carrying the bodies of Sergeants Simone Ruggia and Claudio Marchesi, Lieutenant Franco Adriano Zecchillo, and Sergeant Laura Procacci is scheduled to land at Ciampino Airport tomorrow at 12 noon.
• Official flight safety boards established by the Aeronautica Militare and army aviation will continue technical inquiries to ascertain whether mechanical or electronic factors contributed to the loss of control.
• Medical teams will continue monitoring the recovery of the eleven surviving personnel treated following the incident in Bosnia-Herzegovina.