Helicopter Collision Near Grimma: Ongoing Hunt for Remaining Soldier - Helicopter collision near Grimma leaves search for a third soldier ongoing.
A Bundeswehr helicopter crashed near Grimma, Leipzig district, on July 29, 2025, during a training flight, resulting in at least two fatalities and a missing crew member [1][2][3].
The EC-135 helicopter, leased for Bundeswehr pilot training and operated by Helicopter Squadron 64, disappeared from radar between 10:00 and 10:30 AM local time. Debris was found by paddlers around noon, with the crash site located near a bridge over the A14 motorway.
Authorities have established a military exclusion zone around the crash site to facilitate recovery efforts. Approximately 50 emergency personnel are involved, initially containing a significant kerosene leak before focusing on recovering the wreckage and continuing the search for the missing crew member.
Germany's Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has visited the site, expressing condolences and affirming a thorough investigation into the circumstances of the accident. The Mulde area was declared a military security area and cordoned off by the Bundeswehr.
Two crew members were recovered dead in the evening of the crash, and the search for the missing third crew member continues. Helicopters, Eurofighters, and police divers are involved in the operation. Bundeswehr soldiers are combing riverbank areas in Grimma for the missing crew member.
On Wednesday morning, a search and rescue helicopter of the Bundeswehr flew over the crash site, equipped with special sensors. The age and gender of the deceased soldiers have not yet been disclosed by the Bundeswehr.
Air force chief Holger Neumann described the incident as a "black day" for the air force. Federal Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) described the incident as the loss of "two young lives" in the service of the Bundeswehr.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation.
[1] https://www.tagesschau.de/inland/bundeswehr-helikopter-absturz-101.html [2] https://www.sueddeutsche.de/politik/bundeswehr-helikopter-absturz-in-sachsen-1.5841372 [3] https://www.n-tv.de/politik/Bundeswehr-helikopter-absturz-in-Sachsen-Todesopfer-gezahlt-article23956014.html
- The community is urged to adhere to the latest update in the community policy regarding the restricted airspace and potential disruptions caused by heavy military presence and ongoing vocational training exercises in the aftermath of the Bundeswehr helicopter crash in Grimma.
- In light of the ongoing crime-and-justice investigation and recent accidents, such as the Bundeswehr helicopter crash, many are calling for increased focus on vocational training programs to better equip pilots, ensuring the highest standards of safety and efficiency in the aviation sector.
