A Pakistan Army MI-17 helicopter crashed in the early hours of Monday in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir’s Gilgit-Baltistan region, claiming the lives of five personnel, including two officers. The tragic incident occurred near Hudor village, approximately 12 kilometers from Thakdas Cantonment in Diamer district, during a routine training mission.

The army’s media wing, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), confirmed that the helicopter attempted a “crash landing” around 1 am due to a technical fault. The deceased were identified as Major Atif (pilot in command), Major Faisal (co-pilot), Naib Subedar Maqbool (flight engineer), Havildar Jahangir (crew chief), and Naik Amir (crew chief). “Such training missions are critical for maintaining operational readiness for tasks ranging from combat support to humanitarian and disaster relief operations,” the ISPR statement noted.

Initial confusion arose when Gilgit-Baltistan government spokesperson Faizullah Faraq suggested the helicopter belonged to the regional government. However, the army later clarified it was an Army Aviation aircraft. Diamer Senior Superintendent of Police Abdul Hameed added that the helicopter was attempting a test landing on a newly proposed helipad when the crash occurred.

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The incident marks the second helicopter crash in Pakistan in recent weeks, following a Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government helicopter accident last month. Rescue teams and local authorities rushed to the site to manage the aftermath, with investigations underway to determine the exact cause of the technical failure.

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