In recent days, at the heliport of the headquarters of the United Nations mission in Lebanon - Green hill, took place the ceremony in memory of the fallen of the plane crash on 6 August 1997, which cost the lives of 5 peacekeepers.
That night, a Task Force AB-205 helicopter Italair, while carrying out a night training flight between UNP 6-44 and UNP 6-41 bases, due to a sudden worsening of weather conditions, he fell to the ground and caught fire.
To lose their lives were four Italian soldiers and one Irish. The crew consisted of two pilots, the major of the Army Aviation Antonino Sgrò and Giuseppe Parisi and the specialist technician, the first marshal Massimo Gatti. On board, as passengers, also the Brigadier of the Carabinieri Daniel Forner and the Irish sergeant John Lynch.
At the end of the ceremony, held in a reduced and sober form in compliance with the measures related to the Coronavirus emergency, the commander of the Italian contingent of Unifil and pilot of the Army Aviation, Brigadier General Andrea Di Stasio, accompanied by Lieutenant Colonel Andrea Onofri of the “Italair” Task Force, placed a laurel wreath in memory of the fallen from the “Charlie four” flight at the monument in their honor, blessed by the contingent's military chaplain, Don Pietro Murgia.
Words of deep gratitude for the "blue helmets" who gave their lives in the fulfillment of their duty were expressed in the brief speech by Lieutenant Colonel Onofri who sincerely thanked the crews of Italair "For their dedication to service and for the significant contribution they make, contributing daily to stability and security in Southern Lebanon".
The "Italair" Task Force is employed directly by Major General Stefano Del Col, Head of Mission and Force Commander of Unifil, and is mainly composed of pilots, on-board technicians and support personnel of the 2nd Aves "Sirio" Regiment of Lamezia Terme, with the contribution of effective personnel to other departments of the Army Aviation.
The flight missions carried out fall within the peculiarities of the Army Aviation, among which the activities of medical evacuation, reconnaissance, connection and transport stand out.
