A Mi-17 helicopter of Pakistan Army Aviation crashed near Muzaffarabad during take-off due to a technical fault on Wednesday.
All personnel on board embraced Shahadat. There were no survivors.
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.
COAS & CDF and all ranks of the Pakistan Army express deep grief over the tragic loss of precious lives and extend heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families.
President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed deep grief and sorrow over the helicopter crash, state-run APP reported.
In separate statements, the president and the prime minister extended their heartfelt sympathies to the families of those martyred in the accident.
“The entire nation pays tribute to the great sacrifice of the martyrs and shares the grief of the bereaved families,” President Zardari said.
Paying tribute to the personnel who embraced martyrdom in the crash, PM Shehbaz said that the entire nation salutes the brave soldiers for their sacrifices.
Both leaders prayed for the elevation of the martyrs’ ranks and for strength and patience for the bereaved families.
Deputy PM Ishaq Dar said he was “deeply saddened by the tragic crash”.
“We salute their service, courage and sacrifice in the line of duty. Our thoughts and prayers are with the bereaved families during this hour of grief,” he said in a post on X.
The deputy PM prayed for the highest ranks of the martyrs and for strength and patience for their loved ones.
The Senate also offered fateha for those who lost their lives in the incident, with Senator Maulana Attaur Rehman leading the special prayer.