Day of mourning declared in Serbia after helicopter crash

BELGRADE, Serbia

A national day of mourning was declared in Serbia on Sunday after a rescue helicopter crashed near Belgrade Nikola Tesla airport carrying a five-day-old baby for medical treatment on Friday night, with the loss of all seven people on board.

Flags all over the country were lowered to half-mast and local radio stations and television did not broadcast entertainment programs.

At the Air Force and Air Defense military base, in Belgrade’s historic Zemun town, a commemoration was held in honor of the Serbian service members who died in the crash.

Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic met with Army Chief Ljubisa Divkovic and Defense Ministre Bratislav Gasic on Sunday demanding a full report into the cause of the accident, which has yet to be discovered.

A military helicopter being used to transport a baby from the southwestern city Novi Pazar to the hospital near the Serbian capital Belgrade crashed Friday evening trying to land at Belgrade Nikola Tesla airport in poor visibility due to fog.

All seven people -- four army members, a medical technician, an anesthetist and the newborn -- lost their lives.

BELGRADE, Serbia

Flags all over the country were lowered to half-mast and local radio stations and television did not broadcast entertainment programs.

At the Air Force and Air Defense military base, in Belgrade’s historic Zemun town, a commemoration was held in honor of the Serbian service members who died in the crash.

All seven people -- four army members, a medical technician, an anesthetist and the newborn -- lost their lives.