A Pakistani MI-17 army helicopter crashed near the city of Muzaffarabad in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir on Wednesday because of a technical fault, the military said. They added that the crash left no survivors. According to reports, close to 21 people have been killed in the crash.
"An Mi-17 helicopter of Pakistan Army Aviation crashed near Muzaffarabad today during take-off due to technical fault," the military's media wing said in a statement. "All personnel on board embraced Shahadat (martyrdom)," the statement added.
Security has been concentrated in Muzaffarabad these days on account of a protest movement in the region. The members of prostesting group said they would hold demonstrations shortly after the local government banned the group under anti-terror laws.
ALSO READ: Iran Will Pay The Price For 'Taking Too Long' To Decide On Deal, Says Trump; Oil Prices Climb Rescue and recovery teams immediately reached the crash site. A board of inquiry has been ordered to ascertain the exact technical cause of the accident.
Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of the Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir and all ranks of the army “express deep grief over the tragic loss of precious lives and extend heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families”, the ISPR said.
In September 2025, five personnel were killed after an army helicopter crashed in Gilgit-Baltistan's Diamer district after a “technical fault”.
In August 2025, a helicopter of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government crashed in the Mohmand district due to bad weather, killing two pilots and three crew members.
(With inputs from PTI)
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