Four people were killed and 11 others injured on Thursday when an Italian military helicopter serving with the European Union's peacekeeping mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina crashed during a routine mission near the northern town of Brčko, according to local medical officials and EUFOR.

The CH-47 Chinook helicopter crashed in the village of Gorice, in the Brčko district, approximately 180 kilometers northeast of Sarajevo.

The aircraft was carrying 15 people when it went down, according to Salih Ibrahimbegovic, a spokesman for Brčko hospital. Three people died at the crash site, while a fourth later succumbed to injuries at the hospital. The remaining 11 people were injured and received medical treatment.

The European Union Force in Bosnia and Herzegovina (EUFOR) confirmed the crash in a statement, saying several members of its personnel had lost their lives and others had sustained serious injuries.

Emergency services, including police, firefighters and medical teams, responded to the scene. Images published by local media showed the wreckage of the helicopter scattered across a grassy area near Gorice.

EUFOR said no civilian infrastructure, property or vehicles had been damaged and that no civilians were injured in the incident.

The mission said it had launched a comprehensive investigation into the crash and would release further information once the facts had been verified. Authorities have not yet established the cause of the accident.

The crash involved an Italian military aircraft deployed as part of Operation Althea, the EU-led peacekeeping mission tasked with maintaining security and overseeing the military provisions of the Dayton Peace Agreement, which ended the 1992-1995 war in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

EUFOR has operated in Bosnia and Herzegovina since 2004, when it took over peacekeeping responsibilities from NATO-led forces. Its mission is to help maintain a safe and secure environment and support the implementation of the Dayton Peace Agreement.

The force operates under a United Nations Security Council mandate and includes military personnel from European countries.

Following Thursday's crash, EUFOR urged the public to avoid spreading unverified information and to rely on official sources for updates as the investigation continues. (ILKHA)