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Khyber Pakhtunkhwa govt helicopter crashes in Mohamnd, 5 including 2 pilot martyrs

By The South Asia Times

PESHAWAR – A provincial government MI-17 helicopter carrying relief supplies to rain-affected areas crashed in Mohmand district on Friday due to bad weather, martyrs all five crew members on board including two pilot, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur said.

In a statement, the chief minister said the victims included two pilots and three other crew members, who were “martyred while serving the people in their hour of need.” The helicopter was en route to Bajaur to deliver emergency relief goods to communities hit hard by heavy rains and flooding when it went down.

Gandapur said rescue teams quickly reached the crash site in Mohmand, but there were no survivors. “This is a great loss for the province. These officers laid down their lives in the line of duty,” he said.

The provincial government has declared Saturday a day of mourning, with the national flag to fly at half-mast across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in tribute to the victims.

The chief minister expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy and offered condolences to the bereaved families, assuring that their sacrifices “will always be remembered by the nation.”