A Pakistan Army helicopter crashed near Chilas in Gilgit-Baltistan on Monday morning, killing all five personnel on board, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).
Training Flight Ends in Tragedy
The MI-17 aircraft went down around 10 a.m. near Hudor village, roughly 12 kilometers from Thakdas Cantonment. ISPR said the helicopter was on a routine training mission when it developed a technical malfunction and crashed.
The victims have been identified as:
- Major Atif – Pilot in command
- Major Faisal – Co-pilot
- Naib Subedar Maqbool – Flight engineer
- Havaldar Jahangir – Crew chief
- Naik Amir – Crew chief
Local Response and Rescue Efforts
Diamer SSP Abdul Hameed confirmed the incident, adding that the helicopter had been attempting a test landing on a newly proposed helipad at the time. Local police and rescue teams were quickly deployed to secure the crash site and begin evacuation efforts.
In response, Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Minister Haji Gulbar Khan ordered emergency measures at Chilas Hospital and directed medical staff to remain on standby. He expressed condolences to the families of the deceased, calling their sacrifice “a source of pride for the nation.”
Pattern of Helicopter Incidents
The crash is the latest in a string of helicopter-related tragedies in Pakistan. Earlier this month, a rescue helicopter crashed in Bajaur district, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, killing five personnel on a flood relief mission. Last year, six people died in a similar incident when a petroleum company’s helicopter went down near North Waziristan’s Shewa oil field.
While investigations into Monday’s crash are ongoing, the series of incidents highlights the operational risks faced by both military and civilian flight crews, particularly in Pakistan’s mountainous northern regions where weather and terrain often complicate flying conditions.
