Military Police Investigate If Army Helicopter Severed Power Line in Podlaskie

A medium-voltage power line was severed in Zacisze on Thursday evening, prompting the Military Gendarmerie in Białystok to investigate the potential involvement of a military helicopter.

Power Line Severed in Zacisze

A medium-voltage 15 kV power line was severed on Thursday, August 6, at around 5:15 PM in the village of Zacisze, located in the Zabłudów commune, Białystok county, in the Podlaskie Voivodeship. The incident caused a multi-hour power outage for local residents, with normalcy returning at around 11:00 PM, according to Wyborcza.pl.

Military Police Investigate Helicopter Involvement

The case is currently being investigated by the Military Gendarmerie Department in Białystok to determine whether the incident involved a military aircraft. Colonel Dariusz Rozkosz, press spokesman for the Commander-in-Chief of the Military Gendarmerie, stated that an Mi-2 helicopter conducting a training flight in the area returned safely to its base and will undergo a detailed inspection, with findings to be reported on an ongoing basis.

Helicopter Flight Altitudes

According to Wyborcza.pl, a military helicopter during combat missions typically flies at an altitude ranging from a dozen to 300 meters above the ground, with a maximum flight ceiling between 4,000 and 6,000 meters above sea level.

Previous Black Hawk Incident in 2023

Fakt recalled a similar incident from August 2023 during a picnic celebrating the 103rd anniversary of the Battle of Sarnowa Góra in the Masovian Voivodeship, where a police Black Hawk helicopter severed a power line. The prosecutor’s office initiated an investigation and subsequently filed an indictment against the helicopter crew commander, while also examining whether former Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs and Administration Maciej Wąsik exceeded his powers.

Statements on the Sarnowa Góra Case

In 2024, Minister of Interior and Administration Marcin Kierwiński stated that Maciej Wąsik’s role was clear and evident, noting that shortly before the event and contrary to the initial opinion of the Police Headquarters, Wąsik manually urged and persuaded Police Commander-in-Chief General Jarosław Szymczyk to use the Black Hawk contrary to its intended purpose. Ultimately, the proceedings were discontinued.