Gilgit, Sept 1, 2025 – A Pakistan Army helicopter crashed at Hadar area near Chilas on Monday in what officials have described as a tragic accident caused by a technical fault.
According to a spokesperson for the GB government, the chopper was carrying two pilots and three technical crew members when it caught fire after crash landing, killing all of them.
A police officer in Chilas said that the helicopter was conducting a test landing on a newly proposed helipad when the incident occurred.
Rescue teams later reached the site and shifted the dead bodies to hospital in Chilas.
Chief Minister of Gilgit-Baltistan Haji Gulbar Khan expressed deep sorrow over the incident and directed the relevant authorities to reach the crash site without delay. He assured that all necessary measures would be taken to investigate the cause of the accident and to provide assistance to the affected families.
On August 15, a KP government helicopter engaged in flood relief operations in Mohmand district had crashed, resulting in the martyrdom of two pilots and five crew members.
ISPR Statement
A Pakistan Army Aviation MI-17 helicopter crashed near Hudor village, about 12 kilometers from Thakdas Cantonment, during a routine training flight on Monday morning.
The helicopter developed a technical fault and crash-landed around 1000 hours. All five crew members on board embraced shahadat.
The Shuhada include: Major Atif (Pilot in Command), Major Faisal (Co-pilot), Naib Subedar Maqbool (Flight Engineer), Havaldar Jahangir (Crew Chief), and Naik Amir (Crew Chief).
ISPR stated that such training missions are a routine part of operational readiness, enabling Army Aviation to respond effectively to both operational and humanitarian tasks.