GILGIT: Two pilots and three technical crew members of the Pakistan Army were martyred on Monday when a military helicopter crashed near the Thore area of Chilas in Gilgit-Baltistan’s Diamer district, police and officials said.
Diamer District Police Officer Abdul Hameed said the MI-17 helicopter was carrying two army majors and three technical personnel when it went down. “All five onboard lost their lives in the crash,” a private channel, HUM News, quoted the DPO as saying.
The Gilgit-Baltistan Information Department said the helicopter developed a technical fault and attempted an emergency landing before crashing. The impact sparked a fire, which rescue teams later worked to extinguish.
Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Minister expressed deep sorrow and ordered authorities to rush to the site. Officials from the district administration, law enforcement agencies, and rescue services were dispatched immediately, while senior military and civilian officials, including the Commander FCNA, DG GB Scouts, and the Diamer Commissioner, also visited the area.
Earlier, government spokesperson Faizullah Faraq mistakenly reported that a provincial government helicopter had crashed.
The incident follows another crash on Aug. 15, when a government helicopter went down during relief operations in Mohmand district, killing two pilots and five crew members.
