A Pakistan Army Aviation Mi-17 helicopter crashed near Muzaffarabad today after suffering a technical fault during take-off. There were no survivors. All personnel on board were martyred.
Following the incident, rescue and recovery teams were on the scene. A board of inquiry has been ordered to determine the exact technical cause of the crash. Chief of Army Staff and Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, along with all ranks of the Pakistan Army, expressed deep grief over the loss and extended heartfelt condolences to the families of the martyred personnel.
Mi-17 is a twin-turbine Pakistani military transport helicopter in use by Pakistan Army Aviation for troop transportation, logistics and operations in mountainous regions. The capital city of Azad Jammu and Kashmir Muzaffarabad is located in an area having altitude and weather challenges for aviation operations.
The extent of the casualties will be known after the initial findings by the board of inquiry.
