The helicopter was flying as part of Operation Althea. Investigators have yet to work out what brought it down.

An Italian helicopter assigned to an EU peacekeeping mission has gone down near Brčko in northern Bosnia and Herzegovina.

EUFOR, the European Union's military mission in the country, confirmed that a CH-47 Chinook came down on Thursday afternoon. A spokesman put the death toll at four, with 11 people hurt.

According to a spokesman for Brčko hospital, three of the 15 people aboard died at the scene and a fourth died after being brought in for treatment.

"Twelve people were brought to our hospital. Unfortunately, a fourth person died from his injuries in hospital," said the spokesman, Salih Ibrahimbegovic.

EUFOR said no civilians were hurt and that no civilian buildings, property or vehicles were damaged.

The crash site is in Gorice, roughly 180 kilometres (110 miles) northeast of Sarajevo.

In a later statement, EUFOR said: "As a result of this crash, a number of EUFOR personnel tragically lost their lives, and others were seriously injured."

Bosnia's Defence Ministry said it could not comment further while it waited for more precise information, "above all about the state of health of the personnel".

EUFOR has asked the public to steer clear of unverified claims and disinformation, and to check official channels for updates.

Siniša Milić, mayor of the Brčko district, said three people had died and 12 were injured, one of them critically.

"All have been treated in a hospital in Brčko. Medical staff are on alert," he said.

More information about the people on board, and about the cause of the crash, is expected once authorities finish their investigation.

EUFOR's mission numbers about 1,200 troops and has been in Bosnia since 2004, when it took over from NATO. It operates under a UN Security Council mandate to help keep security and monitor the military terms of the peace deal that ended the 1992–95 war.

Source: euronews.com