On Monday, a helicopter belonging to the Pakistan Navy tragically crashed in Gwadar during a routine training flight, resulting in the loss of two officers and one other ranking personnel, according to a statement from a spokesperson representing the naval force.
The spokesperson also mentioned that the Pakistan Navy has initiated a preliminary investigation into this unfortunate incident, as reported by Express News.
Meanwhile, Shehbaz Sharif, the former Prime Minister and President of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), extended his heartfelt condolences to the families of the brave individuals who lost their lives in this accident.
Shehbaz Sharif acknowledged the tremendous sacrifices made by the armed forces on behalf of the nation and offered his prayers for the departed souls and the families affected by this tragedy.
In a similar incident last August, a Pakistan Army Aviation helicopter, which was engaged in flood relief operations in Balochistan’s Lasbela, went missing after losing contact with air traffic control (ATC). The following day, the military’s media wing announced that the aircraft had been located in the coastal district of the province, but sadly, none of the passengers or crew members survived the crash.
The ill-fated Mi-17 helicopter had several high-ranking officers on board, including Commander 12 Corps Lieutenant General Sarfaraz Ali, Major General Amjad Hanif, Brigadier Muhammad Khalid, Major Saeed Ahmed, Major M Talha Manan, and Naik Mudassar Fayyaz. Lieutenant General Ali was overseeing relief operations in Balochistan, which had been severely affected by flash floods triggered by heavy monsoon rains in the region.