By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: A army helicopter crashed during a routine training mission in the remote Diamer District of Gilgit-Baltistan on Monday, killing all five crew members on board, the military said.
The incident, attributed to a technical fault, marks the latest in a series of deadly aviation accidents involving military and civilian helicopters in Pakistan’s rugged northwest.
The crash occurred around 10 am local time near Hudor village, approximately 12 kilometers from Thakdas Cantonment, according to a statement from the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the military’s media wing. The MI-17 helicopter was conducting a training flight when it developed a technical issue, leading to the crash landing. “All crew members on board were martyred as a result of the crash,” the ISPR said.
The military identified the deceased as Major Atif, the pilot in command; Major Faisal, the co-pilot; flight engineer Naib Subedar Maqbool; and crew chiefs Havaldar Jahangir and Naik Amir. The ISPR did not provide further details on the nature of the technical fault or the circumstances leading to the crash.
Diamer Senior Superintendent of Police Abdul Hameed confirmed the incident, noting that the helicopter was attempting a test landing on a newly proposed helipad in the Hudor area when it went down. “Among the five killed, two were pilots and another three were technicians,” Hameed told media. He added that the helicopter caught fire upon impact, complicating initial rescue efforts. Local residents assisted police and rescue teams in extinguishing the blaze, but all aboard were already deceased.
Emergency services were swiftly mobilized. Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Minister Haji Gulbar Khan ordered an emergency declaration at Chilas Hospital and directed medical staff to be on high alert. “All deceased are being brought to the hospitals where all doctors and staff are alert,” said Muhammad Ali Khan, a spokesperson for the Regional Headquarters Hospital in Diamer, speaking to Arab News.
Chief Minister Khan expressed condolences and praised the fallen soldiers, stating, “The sacrifice of the martyrs of the helicopter crash is a source of pride for the nation.” He also ensured that rescue operations and medical support were prioritized in the aftermath.
The crash adds to a troubling pattern of helicopter accidents in Pakistan, particularly in its mountainous northern and northwestern regions, where challenging terrain and unpredictable weather often complicate aviation operations. Earlier this month, a rescue helicopter carrying supplies to flood-affected areas in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Bajaur district crashed, killing two pilots and three crew members. Last month, another government helicopter delivering relief to the same flood-hit region crashed due to adverse weather, claiming five lives. In September 2024, a petroleum company helicopter crashed near the Shewa oil field in North Waziristan, killing six and critically injuring eight others due to engine failure.
One of the deadliest incidents in recent memory occurred in 2015, when a military helicopter crashed in Gilgit-Baltistan’s Naltar Valley, killing seven, including the ambassadors of the Philippines and Norway.
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