A Swiss Army EC635 helicopter was involved in a crash during a landing approach near Alpnachstad, Obwalden, on Wednesday evening.
The incident, which occurred at approximately 19:30 local time, resulted in no injuries, according to military officials.
The two pilots on board managed to exit the helicopter without assistance but were taken to a hospital for medical evaluation as a precaution, as confirmed by the Army to CH Media publications.
The crash took place during a landing maneuver near the Alpnach military airfield. While details on the precise crash location remain limited, reports from the “Aargauer Zeitung” indicate that the incident happened near the base station of the Pilatus cable cars.
Army spokesperson Stefan Hofer provided initial insights into the accident, stating, “The helicopter collided with the ground shortly before landing for reasons that are still unclear.” The two pilots were returning to Alpnach from a training mission conducted for the Graubünden Cantonal Police when the crash occurred.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation, and the Swiss Army has stated that further details will be released as they become available.
The EC635 (now Airbus Helicopters H135M) model involved is a versatile, multi-role military helicopter used extensively for training, transport, and reconnaissance missions.