Pakistan Army Helicopter Crash in Gilgit-Baltistan Claims 5 Lives

Islamabad, Sep 1 (PTI) A tragic incident occurred on Monday as five personnel of the Pakistan Army, including two officers, lost their lives when their helicopter crashed in the Gilgit-Baltistan region of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The MI-17 helicopter, which had been on a routine training exercise, was forced to attempt a 'crash-landing' due to a technical fault, according to an official army statement. The accident transpired around 1 a.m. near Hudor village, situated approximately 12 kilometers from Thakdas Cantonment in Diamer. The names of the deceased have been released as Major Atif, the pilot in command; Major Faisal, co-pilot; Naib Subedar Maqbool, flight engineer; Havildar Jahangir, crew chief; and Naik Amir, crew chief.

The army emphasized that training missions are a part of their routine operations to maintain operational readiness. They undertake various tasks ranging from operational support to humanitarian efforts and disaster relief. Earlier, Gilgit-Baltistan government spokesperson Faizullah Faraq had reported that “one of our helicopters” had crashed in the Chilas area of Diamer district, resulting in the deaths of five crew members. His statement initially suggested the helicopter belonged to the Gilgit-Baltistan government, with the deceased being from the regional setup. However, later the army’s media wing clarified that it was indeed an army aviation helicopter involved.

Additionally, Abdul Hameed, the Senior Superintendent of Police in Diamer, disclosed that the helicopter was attempting a test landing on a newly proposed helipad at the time of the crash. This unfortunate incident marks the second helicopter crash in recent weeks, following an earlier crash involving a Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government helicopter last month.

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