Helicopter crash leaves 6 dead, 8 injured in Pakistan

At least six people were killed and eight others were critically injured after a helicopter of the Mari Petroleum Company Ltd (MPCL) crashed near the Shewa oil field in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s North Waziristan, a statement issued by the company said on Saturday.

According to the statement, the helicopter providing personal transportation crashed after its engine failed, adding that relief operations by the armed forces and other institutions were ongoing.

It stated that a total of 14 passengers were onboard — including three foreign pilots when the incident occurred. Consequently, it said six people were killed while eight others were injured.

The accident occurred due to technical reasons and it had nothing to do with the security situation in the area, it said.

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) issued a statement on the helicopter crash, stating that the aircraft departed Islamabad at 11:15am.

“Due to engine failure, the helicopter attempted an emergency landing in Shewa,” it said, adding that the helicopter’s tail rotor hit the ground and overturned during the landing attempt.

The statement said six crew members, one safety officer and 14 passengers were aboard the aircraft, adding that a search and rescue operation had been launched from Islamabad with the help of the Pakistan Army.

(With inputs from Dawn)