Army Helicopter Crashes in Northern Pakistan, Five Dead
A Pakistan Army helicopter on a routine mission crashed in the Diamer district of Gilgit-Baltistan, killing all five people aboard, including two pilots and three technicians, a government spokesperson confirmed.
The helicopter reportedly went down due to a technical malfunction and caught fire upon impact, Faizullah Faraq, Gilgit-Baltistan’s government spokesman, said. He added that authorities are investigating the incident and offered no further details.
The aircraft was being used for relief and rescue operations in areas affected by recent heavy rains and floods, and was performing a test landing at a newly proposed helipad when the accident occurred.
Rescue teams promptly reached the site and commenced operations. The spokesperson attributed the crash to a “technical failure” but said the exact cause remains under investigation.
The incident follows a string of helicopter accidents in northern Pakistan: last month, a chopper carrying relief supplies to Bajaur crashed in bad weather, killing five people, and in September 2024, six people died when another helicopter suffered engine failure in the northwest.
