GILGIT: Five Army personnel, including two majors, were martyred when an Army Aviation helicopter crashed in Hudar, Diamer district of Gilgit Baltistan (GB), the military’s media wing said on Monday.
According to the statement, the MI-17 helicopter was on a routine training flight when it developed a technical problem. Crew members, martyred in the crash, included Pilot in Command Major Atif, Co-pilot Major Faisal, Naib Subedar Flight Engineer Maqbool, Crew Chief Hav Jahangir, and Crew Chief Naik Amir.
The ISPR statement further mentioned, “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.”
President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif have expressed deep grief and sorrow over the martyrdom of officers and soldiers in helicopter crash.
In their separate messages, the president and prime minister prayed for high ranks of the martyred crew members. They extended heartfelt condolences to the families of the martyrs and prayed for their patience and courage.
The Chief Minister of GB Haji Gulbar Khan, also expressed sorrow over the incident and rushed the authorities to the crash site.
A government spokesperson Faizullah Faraq said, district administration, local authorities, Commander FCNA, DG G-B Scouts, and Commissioner Diamer reached the crash site immediately.
Faraq noted that this helicopter was occasionally used in relief operations. Emergency measures have been implemented at Chilas Hospital. The government has directed all doctors and medical staff to ensure their presence at the hospital to handle emergencies.
The incident has raised serious concerns about aviation safety in the mountainous region, where challenging terrain and technical faults pose recurring risks.
