Pak: PAF trainer aircraft crashes near Mardan, both pilots die during training sortie
Islamabad, June 15
A trainer aircraft of the Pakistan Air Force on Monday crashed near Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Mardan city during a routine training mission, killing both pilots on board, according to a news report by the Dawn.
Quoting a statement issued by the Paksitan military's media wing, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Dawn reported that the aircraft was on a routine training sortie when it crashed. The accident claimed the lives of Flight Lieutenant Muhammad Qasim Abdullah from the PAF and Lieutenant Taha Abbasi from the Pakistan Navy.
The ISPR said both officers died in the line of duty. It added, "A board of inquiry has been constituted by Air Headquarters to ascertain the cause of the accident."
According to the news report, Pakistan's Army Chief Asim Munir, other services chiefs and "all ranks of the Pakistan Armed Forces express deep grief over the tragic loss of precious lives and extend heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families".
Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Ishaq Dar, also expressed grief over the crash and paid tribute to the deceased pilots.
In a post on X, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar expressed grief over the "tragic crash" and paid tribute to the deceased pilots.
He said, "Deeply grieved by the tragic crash of a Pakistan Air Force trainer aircraft near Mardan during a routine training sortie. We pay tribute to Flight Lieutenant Muhammad Qasim Abdullah (PAF) and Lieutenant Taha Abbasi (Pakistan Navy), who embraced Shahadat in the line of duty."
Earlier on June 10, a Mi-17 helicopter of Pakistan Army Aviation crashed near Muzaffarabad during take-off "due to a technical fault". All personnel on board have died. There were no survivors, Pakistan's Dawn reported, citing Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).
"All personnel on board embraced martyrdom. There were no survivors," the ISPR said in a statement, as cited by Dawn.
The statement said that the recovery teams rushed to the site. "A board of inquiry has been ordered to ascertain the exact technical cause of the accident," the military's media affairs wing stated, as per Dawn.
Pakistan's Army Chief 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 its statement.
The cause of the crash was unclear, and a board of inquiry was ordered to ascertain the glitch that led to the incident, as per Geo News.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Heartbreaking. A trainer aircraft crash is always a double tragedy - you lose both the instructor and the trainee. The PAF needs to examine their fleet maintenance and training protocols. In our own IAF, we've had similar issues. Lives matter more than anything else.
This is so sad. 😔 Two families shattered just because of a routine sortie. I know tensions exist between India and Pakistan, but at the human level, we should all condemn such losses. May their souls rest in peace. Deepest condolences to the bereaved families.
It's being reported that this is the second crash in a week after the Mi-17 helicopter. Something is seriously wrong with the Pakistani military's aviation safety. Either their equipment is aging or there are systemic failures in maintenance. They need to ground all trainers and do a thorough safety audit.
As someone from the US who follows global military news, this is a stark reminder that no air force is immune to training accidents. The loss of two young officers is tragic. I hope the board of inquiry provides transparency. Military families already sacrifice so much. 🕊️
It's hard not to think about our own soldiers and pilots who face similar risks every day. The technical fault in the Mi-17 and now this trainer crash - something is off. I hope India's defence establishment takes note and ensures our aircraft are safe. But today, it's about their loss. RIP.
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