ROME/ATHENS: Four people were killed and 11 injured when an Italian military helicopter operating with the EU peacekeeping mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina crashed on Thursday, Italy's defence ministry said. The dead included two Italian army members and two members of the Italian Red Cross's Volunteer Military Corps.

It added that all 11 injured were receiving treatment and none was in a life-threatening condition. A total of 15 people were on board.

"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," Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto said. ANSA news agency reported the helicopter came down in the village of Gorice in Brcko district.

Images carried by local media showed a military transport helicopter overturned on the ground and shattered into pieces. "There are no words capable of easing such a profound loss," Crosetto said.

The aircraft had been deployed as part of Operation Althea, run by the European Union Force (EUFOR), which oversees the implementation of the Dayton Peace Agreement. Italy's defence ministry said the cause of the crash was under investigation and that inquiries were underway to establish the circumstances of the accident.

The ministry is working closely with local authorities in Bosnia to secure the crash site and recover evidence for the technical board of inquiry. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni also expressed her condolences, writing on X: "My thoughts are with the victims, their families, and all those who, as part of the mission to promote peace and stability in the region, are experiencing hours of anguish."

The international community has also expressed solidarity with the Italian government. Operation Althea remains a critical component of regional stability, and the loss of personnel is being felt across the European peacekeeping community.

Further updates are expected as the investigation progresses.