Technical Malfunction in Helicopter Cited as Cause; Investigation Underway
At least six people were killed and nine injured when a chartered Mi-8 helicopter, belonging to Mari Petroleum Limited, crashed in North Waziristan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The aircraft, carrying 15 passengers, encountered technical difficulties shortly after takeoff near an oil field, according to the company spokesperson, who emphasized that the incident was unrelated to any security issues.
Among the deceased were three foreign pilots, reportedly from Russia, and three others.
The injured were transported to Combined Military Hospital (CMH) Thal for treatment, with relief operations carried out by the Pakistan Army and other authorities.
The crash occurred when the helicopter’s tail rotor struck the ground during an emergency landing attempt.
Mari Petroleum and relevant authorities have initiated an investigation into the cause of the accident.
Helicopter crashes are not uncommon in Pakistan.
Last year, in a similar incident, two Pakistan Navy officers and a soldier were martyred following a copter crash in Balochistan’s Gwadar, also due to technical failure.