What happened
The incident involved a military transport aircraft operating on a repatriation mission. The flight originated in Italy with the destination being the United Kingdom. On board were wounded soldiers and seven crew members assigned to the 550th Squadron, bringing the total number of occupants to 26.
As the aircraft did not arrive at its intended destination, search and rescue operations were initiated. These efforts continued for several days but were eventually suspended when no trace of the airframe or any survivors could be located. Authorities concluded that the aircraft likely crashed in the Italian Alps region.
Findings
Investigative efforts focused on the area of the Italian Alps, where it is believed the accident occurred. No physical evidence of the crash site or the occupants was recovered during the search operations. The disappearance remains unconfirmed with specific wreckage recovery, leading to the classification of the event as a total loss of the aircraft and all personnel on board.