The remains of the four soldiers killed in Bosnia are being repatriated to Italy.

Today, the remains of the four Italian soldiers who died last Thursday in the crash of a Chinook helicopter in Bosnia are returning to Italy. The accident occurred during a mission as part of Operation EUFOR Althea. A military aircraft carrying the bodies of Sergeants Simone Ruggia and Claudio Marchesi, along with members of the Military Corps of the Red Cross, Lieutenant Franco Adriano Zecchillo and Sergeant Laura Procacci, will arrive at Ciampino Airport.

Awaiting the remains will be Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Defense Minister Guido Crosetto. In total, three investigations have been launched into the incident, including one by the Bosnian authorities. In Rome, two proceedings are underway, both against unknown persons: the military prosecutor is proceeding with the military offense of negligent loss, while the ordinary prosecutor is considering charges of disaster and negligent homicide.

The fatal incident occurred within the framework of Operation EUFOR Althea, the European Union military mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina. EUFOR Althea was launched in 2004, succeeding the NATO SFOR mission, with the primary mandate of maintaining a safe and stable environment in the country following the war of the 1990s. Italy has participated in this mission since its inception, contributing military personnel.

The operation represents one of the EU's longest-standing international commitments and is seen as a pillar of stabilization in the Western Balkans. The crash of the Chinook helicopter, a heavy transport aircraft used by several armed forces, constitutes one of the most serious incidents involving the Italian contingent in the mission. The investigation, coordinated between Italian and Bosnian authorities, aims to clarify the technical or operational causes of the disaster, while the repatriation of the bodies marks the moment of national mourning for the personnel who died in service.