GHILAS; An Army Aviation helicopter crashed in Gilgit-Baltistan’s Diamer district on Sunday, with officials citing a possible technical fault as the cause. The incident occurred in the Hadar area, prompting an immediate emergency response.
Military media wing ISPR in its statement said; On 1 Sep 25, at around 1000 hours, an MI-17 helicopter crash landed near Hudor village approximately 12 kilometers away from Thakdas Cantonment. The helicopter was on routine training flying when it developed technical fault and crashed. As a result, all crew members on board embraced shahadat. Details of Shuhada are as under:-
▫️Major Atif- Pilot in Command
▫️Major Faisal – Co-pilot
▫️N/Sub Maqbool – Flight Engineer
▫️Hav Jahangir – Crew Chief
▫️Naik Amir – Crew Chief
Training missions are part of routine activities of Army Aviation to maintain operational readiness for performing tasks varying from operational support to humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.
Pakistan Army remains committed to ensuring readiness in all facets.
Gilgit-Baltistan government spokesperson Faizullah Faraq called the accident “deeply regrettable” and extended condolences over the loss of lives. He noted that the GB government had occasionally used the same helicopter for relief operations.
Chief Minister Haji Gulbar Khan, in a statement, confirmed that the crash was the result of a technical fault. He directed authorities to impose an emergency at Chilas Hospital and ensure medical staff were on standby. Expressing his grief, he paid tribute to the fallen personnel, saying: “The sacrifice of the martyrs of this crash is a source of pride for the entire nation.”
The tragedy follows a string of recent helicopter accidents in Pakistan. Earlier this month, a rescue helicopter carrying supplies for flood-hit communities in Bajaur, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, went down, killing two pilots and three crew members.
Last year, six people lost their lives and eight were critically injured when a petroleum company’s helicopter crashed near the Shewa oil field in North Waziristan.
