Pakistan: 6 army personnel die in Balochistan helicopter crash

Accident occurred due to bad weather, says spokesperson

By Web Desk

Published: Tue 2 Aug 2022, 2:42 PM

Last updated: Tue 2 Aug 2022, 3:32 PM

All 6 Pakistani army officials have been killed in a helicopter crash in the Balochistan province.

The helicopter was performing flood relief operations and crashed after losing contact with air traffic control.

Major General Babar Iftikhar, Director General Inter-Services Public Relations -- the media wing of Pakistan's armed forces -- confirmed the deaths in a tweet on Tuesday.

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A military statement identified the deceased officer as regional commander Lt. Gen. Sarfraz Ali. It said that, according to an initial probe, the crash happened due to bad weather.

The helicopter was part of aid efforts in the flood-affected in Baluchistan, where rains and flash floods since June have killed nearly 150 people. The military provided no further details, according to AP.

Pakistan's President Arif Ali, Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif and other senior politicians offered their condolences to the victims' families.

Pakistan is currently using helicopters and boats to evacuate flood victims from various parts of the country, including Baluchistan and Rajanpur, a district in the eastern Punjab province.

Rains and flash floods have killed nearly 500 people across the country since June, when rains started lashing different parts of the country, triggering floods. Since then, rescue workers backed by the military have evacuated thousands of marooned people, including women and children, from various parts of Pakistan.

More rains are expected this week in Pakistan, where the monsoon season runs from July through September.

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