Islamabad, June 11: A Pakistan Army combat helicopter crashed in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) due to a technical fault. All soldiers on board were killed in the tragedy. A Pakistan Army helicopter crashed in a strategic area of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The helicopter lost control moments after taking off and crashed into the ground, catching fire, killing all the personnel on board, including senior military officers.
According to initial information provided by the Pakistan Army’s media wing, the ISPR, the helicopter was taking off for an emergency mission from an army base near Muzaffarabad in PoK. The helicopter developed a technical fault as it was flying just a few feet above the ground.
The helicopter crashed into a field next to the runway after losing control. The fuel tank exploded, causing the entire helicopter to burst into flames in an instant. Reports say that 4 to 5 soldiers, including two pilots (major-rank officers) and two technical staff, were burnt alive in the severity of the accident. The bodies were burnt beyond recognition and have been shifted to a military hospital in Muzaffarabad.
For the past few days, massive civil protests and violence have been going on against the Pakistan government under the leadership of the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) in Rawalakot and Mirpur parts of PoK. In this context, the Pakistan Army was using helicopters to suppress the protesters and maintain surveillance. The downing of the army helicopter amidst such a tense situation is a major setback for the Pakistan Defense Forces.
The Pakistan Army has so far ruled out the possibility of an attack or sabotage, saying the crash was caused by a mechanical failure. A high-level military inquiry has been ordered into the incident.
Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir, along with other officers and personnel of the Pakistan Army, expressed deep concern and grief over the loss of lives in the helicopter crash. The military leadership expressed its deepest condolences to the families of the deceased and paid tribute to the soldiers who lost their lives in the line of duty.
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif also expressed deep shock over the helicopter crash near Muzaffarabad. Paying tribute to the deceased army personnel, he said, “The entire country bows down to the sacrifices of the brave sons of the soil of Pakistan.”