This 12 November will mark 24 years since 24 peacekeepers, humanitarian aid workers, and flight 3275 crew members en route to Pristina from Rome lost their lives in a tragic plane crash on a mountain peak less than 50 kilometres from their destination.

They were coming to Kosovo to do their part in helping the local population recover from the devastating effects of the conflict that ended several months earlier.

The flight was chartered by the United Nations World Food Programme. It was daily connecting Italy and Kosovo, bringing in much-needed humanitarian aid and support.

Although almost a quarter of a century has passed since the crash, the memory of those women and men – mainly UN staff - who died that 12 November still lives strong in Kosovo and their home countries – Italy, Spain, UK, Australia, Bangladesh, Canada, Germany, Iraq, and Kenya.

On 9 November, members of UNMIK’s uniformed personnel, together with representatives of the EULEX Mission, the International community, and KFOR MSU Carabinieri, honoured the service and sacrifice of the 24. As they observed the minute of silence, laid a wreath on the commemorative plaque, and expressed their sincere condolences to the families and friends of the crash casualties, they wished for similar accidents to never happen again.