2008 Macedonian Armed Forces Mil Mi-17 crash
Encyclopedia
The 2008 Macedonian Armed Forces Mil Mi-17 crash occurred on Saturday, 12 January 2008, when a Mil Mi-17
transport helicopter belonging to the Armed Forces of the Republic of Macedonia, crashed 50–100 metres from the village
of Blace, situated in the region of Katlanovo
, approximately 10–15 kilometres south-east of Skopje
, Republic of Macedonia
due to low visibility caused by heavy fog
. All 11 individuals aboard the helicopter, including 8 passengers and 3 crew members, were killed in the crash.
and started to experience foggy conditions whilst preparing to land at their destination — The Skopje Airport
. The crash was reported by two local fishermen who claimed they saw the helicopter flying unusually low. A witness stated that "The engine of the helicopter did not sound like it worked well..." Witnesses also reported seeing a "fireball" as the helicopter became engulfed in flames following impact. This was subsequently followed by a series of explosions, possibly triggered by a supply of kerosene
or ammunition
.
Based on a Reuters
photographer's eye-witness account, the helicopter was incinerated and debris
was found up to 100 metres from the crash site.
, Nikola Gruevski
, said; "This is a terrible accident, a great tragedy and a great loss. I express my deepest and sincerest condolences to the families of the victims. An investigation is starting that will identify the cause of the accident."
The President of the Republic of Macedonia
, Branko Crvenkovski
, also expressed his sympathy for the lives lost, stating: "We have not seen such a tragic lost [sic] of Macedonian soldiers in the country's recent history..." The Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Macedonia confirmed that the incident is the deadliest aviation accident to occur within the country's air force
.
Along with the president and prime minister, the Interior Minister of the Republic of Macedonia, Gordana Jankulovska, also visited the crash site immediately following the incident.
between the ages of 26 and 40 had been killed in the crash.
Following the incident, the Government of the Republic of Macedonia created a special body to lead the investigation into the cause of the crash.
Mil Mi-17
The Mil Mi-17 is a Russian helicopter currently in production at two factories in Kazan and Ulan-Ude...
transport helicopter belonging to the Armed Forces of the Republic of Macedonia, crashed 50–100 metres from the village
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
of Blace, situated in the region of Katlanovo
Katlanovo
Katlanovo is a village in the Republic of Macedonia. It belongs to the Petrovec municipality and is situated between the cities of Skopje and Veles.-See also:* Petrovec municipality...
, approximately 10–15 kilometres south-east of Skopje
Skopje
Skopje is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Macedonia with about a third of the total population. It is the country's political, cultural, economic, and academic centre...
, Republic of Macedonia
Republic of Macedonia
Macedonia , officially the Republic of Macedonia , is a country located in the central Balkan peninsula in Southeast Europe. It is one of the successor states of the former Yugoslavia, from which it declared independence in 1991...
due to low visibility caused by heavy fog
Fog
Fog is a collection of water droplets or ice crystals suspended in the air at or near the Earth's surface. While fog is a type of stratus cloud, the term "fog" is typically distinguished from the more generic term "cloud" in that fog is low-lying, and the moisture in the fog is often generated...
. All 11 individuals aboard the helicopter, including 8 passengers and 3 crew members, were killed in the crash.
Incident
The incident took place at approximately 11:00 a.m. (GMT). The helicopter was returning from a EUFOR peace keeping mission in Bosnia and HerzegovinaBosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
and started to experience foggy conditions whilst preparing to land at their destination — The Skopje Airport
Skopje Airport
Skopje Airport , or Skopje "Alexander the Great" Airport is the larger and busier of the two international airports in the Republic of Macedonia...
. The crash was reported by two local fishermen who claimed they saw the helicopter flying unusually low. A witness stated that "The engine of the helicopter did not sound like it worked well..." Witnesses also reported seeing a "fireball" as the helicopter became engulfed in flames following impact. This was subsequently followed by a series of explosions, possibly triggered by a supply of kerosene
Kerosene
Kerosene, sometimes spelled kerosine in scientific and industrial usage, also known as paraffin or paraffin oil in the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, Ireland and South Africa, is a combustible hydrocarbon liquid. The name is derived from Greek keros...
or ammunition
Ammunition
Ammunition is a generic term derived from the French language la munition which embraced all material used for war , but which in time came to refer specifically to gunpowder and artillery. The collective term for all types of ammunition is munitions...
.
Based on a Reuters
Reuters
Reuters is a news agency headquartered in New York City. Until 2008 the Reuters news agency formed part of a British independent company, Reuters Group plc, which was also a provider of financial market data...
photographer's eye-witness account, the helicopter was incinerated and debris
Debris
Debris is rubble, wreckage, ruins, litter and discarded garbage/refuse/trash, scattered remains of something destroyed, or, in geology, large rock fragments left by a melting glacier etc. The singular form of debris is debris...
was found up to 100 metres from the crash site.
Reactions
Upon arriving the at the scene of the event, the Prime Minister of the Republic of MacedoniaPrime Minister of the Republic of Macedonia
The Prime Minister of the Republic of Macedonia is the head of government of the Republic of Macedonia. He or she is the leader of a political coalition in the Macedonian parliament and the leader of the cabinet...
, Nikola Gruevski
Nikola Gruevski
Nikola Gruevski has been Prime Minister of the Republic of Macedonia since 27 August 2006. He has led VMRO-DPMNE since May 2003. He was Minister of Finance in the VMRO-DPMNE government led by Ljubčo Georgievski until September 2002.- Personal life :...
, said; "This is a terrible accident, a great tragedy and a great loss. I express my deepest and sincerest condolences to the families of the victims. An investigation is starting that will identify the cause of the accident."
The President of the Republic of Macedonia
President of the Republic of Macedonia
The President of the Republic of Macedonia is the head of state of the Republic of Macedonia. The institution of the Presidency of the modern Republic of Macedonia began after the Macedonian declaration of independence on 8 September 1991. Its first president was Kiro Gligorov, the oldest president...
, Branko Crvenkovski
Branko Crvenkovski
Branko Crvenkovski leads the Republic of Macedonia's largest opposition party, the Social Democratic Union of Macedonia. He was Prime Minister of the Republic of Macedonia from 1992 to 1998 and again from 2002 to 2004, then President of the Republic of Macedonia from 2004 to 2009.Crvenkovski was...
, also expressed his sympathy for the lives lost, stating: "We have not seen such a tragic lost [sic] of Macedonian soldiers in the country's recent history..." The Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Macedonia confirmed that the incident is the deadliest aviation accident to occur within the country's air force
Air force
An air force, also known in some countries as an air army, is in the broadest sense, the national military organization that primarily conducts aerial warfare. More specifically, it is the branch of a nation's armed services that is responsible for aerial warfare as distinct from an army, navy or...
.
Along with the president and prime minister, the Interior Minister of the Republic of Macedonia, Gordana Jankulovska, also visited the crash site immediately following the incident.
Aftermath
In the immediate aftermath of the crash, only seven soldiers were fully identified. After the identification of all victims involved in the crash, it was reported that a total of eleven military personnelMilitary personnel
Military personnel is a blanket term used to refer to members of any armed force. Usually, military personnel are divided into branches of service roughly defined by certain circumstances of the deployment of the personnel. Those who serve in a typical large land force are soldiers, making up an...
between the ages of 26 and 40 had been killed in the crash.
Following the incident, the Government of the Republic of Macedonia created a special body to lead the investigation into the cause of the crash.