At least six people lost their lives when a chartered helicopter crashed in northern Pakistan on Saturday, according to security sources. The helicopter, chartered by a private company, went down shortly after take-off in the volatile North Waziristan area near the Afghan border.
The helicopter was carrying around 14 passengers, including Russian pilots. Eight people were injured in the crash and have been hospitalized nearby, the sources added.
This tragic incident adds to a series of air accidents that have plagued Pakistan’s armed forces and civilian aviation sector over the past decade. In 2022, a military helicopter on a training exercise crashed in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, resulting in the deaths of both pilots. Additionally, in 2020, a Pakistan International Airlines Airbus jet crashed into a crowded residential district in Karachi, killing most of the 99 people on board.
The cause of the latest crash is still under investigation, and authorities are working to provide support to the victims’ families and ensure the safety of aviation operations in the region. according to security sources. The helicopter, chartered by a private company, went down shortly after take-off in the volatile North Waziristan area near the Afghan border.