Helicopter crash in Pakistan involving Russian crew claims six lives

At least six people have been killed after a chartered Mi-8 helicopter carrying 14 passengers crashed in the North Waziristan district of Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. 

The incident has also left at least eight individuals injured, Caliber.Az reports via Pakistani media.

The helicopter, which belonged to Mari Petroleum Limited, a public limited company, went down near an oil field due to technical reasons, according to the company's spokesperson. The spokesperson stressed that the accident had no connection to the region's security situation.

Providing further details, the spokesperson noted that the ill-fated aircraft was offering personal transportation in the Shewa Waziristan block. The injured passengers are currently being transferred to a nearby hospital, and relief operations are underway with the assistance of the Pakistan Army and other agencies.

Sources revealed that among the victims were three foreign pilots from Russia, and the wounded have been taken to Combined Military Hospital (CMH) Thal. The crash reportedly occurred shortly after takeoff when the helicopter suffered technical difficulties, resulting in a tail rotor strike during an emergency landing.

In light of the incident, an investigation has been initiated to determine the cause of the crash. Helicopter accidents are not uncommon in Pakistan; for instance, in September of last year, two Pakistan Navy officers and a soldier were killed when their helicopter crashed in Gwadar, Balochistan, due to technical issues during a training exercise.

As the investigation continues, the focus remains on understanding the factors that led to this tragic incident and ensuring the safety of future flights.

By Tamilla Hasanova