The Smart Marty Sky Dispatch
The helicopter crash in Bosnia: the survivor said, “It’s a miracle I’m still alive”
The four bodies are due to be repatriated to Ciampino Airport today. The prime minister has reposted a message dedicated to Sergeant Laura Procacci, one of the…
Two Italian Red Cross Medevac crew members were aboard a military helicopter that crashed in Bosnia, with one survivor among the medical team. Lieutenant Colonel Flavio Favari, the third member of the Cri Medevac group, sustained injuries but survived the crash and is being treated at Tuzla Hospital. Authorities have not published specific details about the flight or the exact moment of impact.
The helicopter crash is linked to a broader Italian Red Cross mission in the region, and Favari expressed gratitude to those who supported him after the accident, including representatives of the Red Cross of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Italian officials. The case is under investigation as investigators work to determine the final moments of the flight and identify the causes of the crash.
Among the injured is Pietro Bersaglia, a member of the Italian community connected to Ischia di Castro in the Viterbo area. Bersaglia’s sister Elisa posted messages of thanks on social media, while noting the four fatalities and wishing a speedy recovery to the others injured. The fatalities include two Italian Red Cross Military Volunteer Corps personnel and two other service members.
Italian authorities have announced that the four bodies—Sergeants Simone Ruggia and Claudio Marchesi, and Red Cross personnel Lieutenant Franco Adriano Zecchillo and Sergeant Laura Procacci—will be returned to Italy. The bodies are expected to land at Ciampino Airport, completing their transit from Bosnia.
In Rome, the Italian Red Cross has established a memorial space at the Luigi Pierantoni barracks chapel to honor Zecchillo and Procacci and to allow the public to pay tribute. The initiative seeks to support families, colleagues, and the broader Red Cross community during this period of mourning.
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni commented on social media about a video posted by an influencer who highlighted Laura Procacci, one of the deceased. The post and Meloni’s response have drawn public emotional responses as the country mourns the losses and honors those who served.