On January 19, 2006, an An-24 military transport aircraft carrying Slovak soldiers returning home from a peacekeeping mission in Kosovo crashed in the Zemplén Mountains. Forty-two people lost their lives, with only one survivor. To this day, Hungary and Slovakia honor the memory of the fallen heroes with a joint commemoration. Preparations are now underway for the 20th anniversary in Hejce, the town closest to the tragic site.
Hungarian and Slovak comrades, leaders, relatives, and local residents gather at two locations every year to pay their respects. The Borsó Mountain Memorial Park was established in the summer of 2006 by representatives of the Hungarian and Slovak defense forces at the site of the tragedy. A granite obelisk stands on the rugged mountain terrain, next to which are forty-two wooden headstones bearing the names and ranks of the deceased soldiers, commemorating each victim. The memorial park has been continuously expanded over the years, and a well-kept park has grown up around the central elements.
The memorial, located in the center of the village of Hejce, was unveiled on July 20, 2007.
It was created by László Szabó, a sculptor from Galanta. The main element of the memorial is a wingless, falling angel surrounded by elements shaped like fallen trees. The composition evokes the crash of the plane, the loss of life, and the fragility of human hopes.
Fact
On a frosty winter evening in 2006, an An-24 aircraft with the registration number 5605, carrying soldiers returning from the KFOR peacekeeping mission in Kosovo, was flying from Pristina to Košice (Kassa). There were 43 people on board, most of whom were Slovakian personnel completing six months of foreign service. The aircraft had a flyover permit issued by Hungarocontrol, the Hungarian air traffic control authority, and entered Hungarian airspace a few minutes after 7 p.m. The aircraft made its last radio contact with Košice air traffic control at 7:40 p.m., shortly after which it disappeared from the radar screen.
Investigations later determined that the aircraft deviated from its designated route by approximately three kilometers to the east, leaving the Hernád Valley and drifting over the Zemplén Mountains, where it crashed into the 755-meter-high Borsó Mountain in Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén County. As a result of the accident, debris was scattered over an area of approximately 1,800 square meters. Of those on board, only First Lieutenant Martin Farkaš survived the disaster. He lost consciousness for a short time at the moment of impact, but when he regained consciousness, he called his wife on his mobile phone, who notified the Slovak authorities.
The rescue operation began immediately: Hungarian and Slovakian professional search and rescue teams, as well as around three hundred residents of Hejce, rushed to the scene. However, the search was made significantly more difficult by the winter cold, darkness, and the inaccessibility of the mountainous terrain. Expert investigations ruled out technical failure of the aircraft. Based on the committee’s summary, during the approach to landing, the pilots did not use the on-board instruments to reduce altitude, but relied solely on visual approach. In doing so, they did not adequately assess the characteristics of the surrounding terrain and did not maintain the safe flight altitude required in mountainous terrain.
However, the report also stated that the cause of the accident could not be confirmed with complete certainty.
Slovak President Peter Pellegrini commemorated the tragic event with a video on his Facebook page writing: “Honor to the memory of all soldiers who gave their lives for their country!”
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Via Honvédelem; Featured photo: Honvédelem
The post Honoring the Heroes: 20 Years Since the Military Transport Aircraft Tragedy appeared first on Hungary Today.
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