Hungarian Soldiers Rescue Missing Tourists in Bosnia

MTI-Hungary Today 2024.04.08.

Hungarian soldiers saved the lives of tourists in Bosnia and Herzegovina. On his Facebook page, Defense Minister Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky congratulated the soldiers and military doctors involved in the rescue and subsequent treatment.

According to a statement by the Hungarian Defense Ministry, the Ministry of Security of Bosnia and Herzegovina requested the assistance of the international mission EUFOR in finding two tourists who went missing on Saturday morning.

Fact

Operation Althea, or formally known as EUFOR (European Union Force Bosnia and Herzegovina), is an international force operating under the authority of the European Council. The military operation was launched on December 2, 2004, nine years after the Bosnian War, with the main task of the peacekeeping mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Following a decision by the Political and Security Committee of the European Union, Hungary offered to lead EUFOR ALTHEA for the first time in January 2024. The mission is led this year by a Hungarian commander, Major General László Sticz, with the Hungarian Defense Forces providing the helicopter and air rescue capability.

Following the Major General’s decision, a EUFOR helicopter with Hungarian pilots and Dutch and Italian soldiers on board, and equipped with thermal cameras, had been sent to search for the missing tourists.

“The air rescue was successful, the tourists were found on a mountain peak. The H145M helicopter of the Hungarian Defense Forces, equipped for aeromedical evacuation (MEDEVAC), provided for EUFOR mission, flew to the scene with Hungarian personnel and they were transported to the camp in Sarajevo,” the ministry stated.

Photo: honvedelem.hu

Hungarian medical personnel on duty at the EUFOR Medical Center continued to treat the injured civilians, who were then transported to a hospital in Sarajevo.

Photo: honvedelem.hu

“The success of the rescue operation was due to the coordinated and professional service of EUFOR’s special capabilities, including the Dutch and Italian night reconnaissance, the Hungarian boat and medical team, and the Hungarian staff of the Medical Center,” the statement concluded.

On his Facebook page, Defense Minister Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky congratulated the soldiers and doctors involved in the successful rescue and medical care: Lieutenant Colonel Attila Dajka, Captain Gábor Dobos, Lieutenant Dr. Levente Forgács, Lieutenant Dr. Tünde Hetei, Ensign Béla Freitag, Sergeant Major László Gordos, Captain Sándor Kovács, Captain Milán Sipos, Lieutenant Dávid Répási, and Corporal Gábor Vas. “We are proud of their performance,” he wrote.

Hungarian Peacekeepers Prepare for Bosnia Mission

Major General Dr. László Sticz will be the leader of the EU peacekeeping force in Bosnia and Herzegovina for one year.Continue reading

Via MTI, Featured image: honvedelem.hu