In last night's accident, a low-flying pilot apparently snagged a power line, and crashed. Easy to make. No one was badly hurt, and the helicopter can be easily replaced, so no real harm. But the incident ought to provide a wake-up call. Flying in Albania's rugged mountains, particularly at night and in miserable Balkan weather, is not going to be easy.
More accidents are likely.
Combat losses are likely. If Monday's accident instills the Apache pilots with a notch more caution as combat approaches, it will be a good thing. And if it shows the public that there's no sure thing in war, so much the better. Just do something Aid agencies are beginning to complain bitterly about the slow pace of Operation Allied Harbour, the NATO military effort to assist humanitarian relief operations in Albania. No one else has been airlifted anywhere.