Skardu accident: Army chopper crash kills five
According to ISPR, the helicopter was an MI-17 of the Pakistan Aviation and was on its test flight.
GILGIT:
An Army Aviation helicopter crashed during a ‘test’ flight in Skardu on Wednesday, killing all five people on board.
The MI-17 helicopter came down on the runway of the Skardu airport, the military said in a statement.
“According to an initial report, five persons, including a pilot, embraced shahadat (martyrdom),” in the crash, the statement added. “Another three persons, including a pilot, were injured in the crash.” Apart from the pilots, the three others who died in the crash were also part of the cabin crew, the military said.
According to sources, the helicopter caught fire mid-air before crashing. The nature of the fault that led to the crash was not immediately ascertained.
“The accident occurred during a test flight to check certain technical issues,” a source in Skardu told The Express Tribune. The president and premier offered condolences over the loss of lives.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 12th, 2012.
An Army Aviation helicopter crashed during a ‘test’ flight in Skardu on Wednesday, killing all five people on board.
The MI-17 helicopter came down on the runway of the Skardu airport, the military said in a statement.
“According to an initial report, five persons, including a pilot, embraced shahadat (martyrdom),” in the crash, the statement added. “Another three persons, including a pilot, were injured in the crash.” Apart from the pilots, the three others who died in the crash were also part of the cabin crew, the military said.
According to sources, the helicopter caught fire mid-air before crashing. The nature of the fault that led to the crash was not immediately ascertained.
“The accident occurred during a test flight to check certain technical issues,” a source in Skardu told The Express Tribune. The president and premier offered condolences over the loss of lives.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 12th, 2012.