The accident occurred at a military airport almost 160 kilometers southeast of Prague.Image: www.imago-images.de
July 23, 2026, 3:57 p.mJuly 23, 2026, 3:57 p.m
An army helicopter with five soldiers on board crashed in the Czech Republic. One of the passengers died in the accident, the CTK agency reported, citing the emergency services on site. The injured were taken to clinics by rescue helicopters and ambulances.
The army told X that the accident occurred at the military airport in Namest nad Oslavou. The airfield serves as the main operational base for Czech military helicopters and is located almost 160 kilometers southeast of Prague. No information was initially given about the cause of the accident.
The helicopter that crashed was the UH-1Y Venom model, a modern development of the legendary “Huey” series from the US manufacturer Bell Textron. Machines of this type entered service in the Czech Republic in July 2023. They replaced outdated Soviet-made Mi-35 combat and transport helicopters, which were given to Ukraine for this purpose. The Czech Republic has been a member of the NATO defense alliance since 1999. (sda/dpa)