In recent days, in the headquarters of the 5th AVES "Rigel" regiment in Casarsa della Delizia (PN), the 28th anniversary of the shooting down of the AB-205 of the Italian Army Aviation engaged in the Mission monitor in the skies of Podrute, homonymous village not far from Novi Marof, the far north of Croatia, located on the borders between Slovenia and Hungary.
The military ceremony culminated in the deposition of a laurel wreath at the Podrute war memorial placed in front of the AB-206, erected as a "city guardian" of the Friulian city in memory of the tragic event.
The commemoration was attended by some relatives of the victims, numerous civil and military authorities including the mayor of Casarsa della Delizia, Dr. Lavinia Clarotto, the Commander of the "Friuli" Aircraft Brigade, Brigadier General Stefano Lagorio, the commander of the 5th AVES regiment " Rigel ", Colonel Francesco Spadolini and the representatives of the Combat and Armed Associations of the territory.
It was January 7, 1992, when an Italian Army Air Force AB-205 helicopter, radio callsign EC-305, with white livery and European insignia of the Mission monitor, was shot down by a Serbian Mig during a regular European Community monitoring mission (ECMM). Following the shooting, Lieutenant Colonel Enzo Venturini, Marshals Silvano Natale and Fiorenzo Ramacci, Sergeant Major Marco Matta and a French Navy officer, Jean Loup Eychenne, died.
After the brief but significant ceremony, a suffrage mass was celebrated at the parish church of Santa Croce and Beata Vergine del Rosario officiated by the military chaplain and the prior of Casarsa.
