Helicopter collision near Grimma results in at least two fatalities.
The cause of the Bundeswehr helicopter crash near Grimma, Leipzig district, on July 29, 2025, remains unknown and is currently under investigation. The helicopter, an EC135 model used for training by the German Air Force, disappeared from radar during a training flight performing low-altitude maneuvers.
Debris was found around noon in the Mulde River, and subsequent search efforts have unfortunately confirmed two fatalities. However, one crew member remains missing, and search efforts are ongoing until midnight.
The crash site, located in the Bahren district of Grimma, has been declared a military security area and cordoned off. More than 200 police, fire, and armed forces personnel have been deployed to manage the scene and handle the large kerosene spill caused by the crash.
The wreckage, situated in the middle of the river, is difficult to access. The area within a radius of two nautical miles (approximately 3.7 kilometers) has been declared a no-fly zone, preventing drones from flying.
Germany’s Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has visited the site and confirmed the ongoing investigation and search rescue operations. Details on the identities of the victims and the precise cause of the accident have not been released yet.
Notably, the crash occurred during a training flight of the German Armed Forces near Grimma. The Interior Minister, Armin Schuster, has stated that efforts will be made to find the missing person.
In an unusual turn of events, the wreckage was initially discovered in the river by paddlers. Journalists, including our reporter Pauline Moeckel, are not allowed to access the site.
An oil barrier is to be set up to prevent the fuel from spreading on the water. The Mulde is expected to be closed to water sports from the Bahren bridge to the motorway bridge until the end of the week.
[1]: Source 1 [3]: Source 3 (assuming there are two missing sources between Source 1 and Source 3)
- The missing crew member from the car-accidents involving the Bundeswehr helicopter near Grimma is a focus of ongoing search efforts, with police, fire, and armed forces personnel working through the night to locate the individual.
- The unusual discovery of the wreckage from the car-accidents in the Mulde River by paddlers has led to increased interest in the crime-and-justice aspect of the incident, with the public eager for the identities of the victims and the precise cause to be revealed.
- As the tragic car-accidents unfolded, general-news outlets have been reporting extensive coverage of the event, with specific updates on the ongoing investigations and search rescue operations, as well as the impact on local politics, including statements from the Defense and Interior Ministers.
