Pakistan Air Force Jet Crash Kills Two Pilots
A Pakistan Air Force training aircraft crashed near Mardan in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa during a routine training mission on Monday, killing both pilots on board, officials said.
Pakistan Air Force aircraft crash near Mardan
The aircraft went down in an open area near the northwestern city of Mardan in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. The crash took place while the aircraft was conducting a regular training flight.
Both personnel on board were killed in the accident. The deceased pilots were identified as Flight Lieutenant Muhammad Qasim Abdullah of the Pakistan Air Force and Lieutenant Taha Abbasi of the Pakistan Navy.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa training aircraft crash
Authorities have not immediately released details about the type of aircraft involved in the crash. Initial information confirmed that the aircraft was part of a routine training mission when it met with the accident.
Senior Pakistani leaders and military officials expressed grief over the deaths and extended condolences to the families of the pilots. The incident has again drawn attention to risks involved in military training operations.
Pakistan military orders crash inquiry
Air Headquarters has constituted a board of inquiry to determine the cause of the crash. The investigation is expected to examine technical, operational and maintenance-related factors before submitting its findings.
Military aircraft crashes have been reported periodically in Pakistan during training and operational missions. However, official details about such accidents and investigation outcomes are often limited in the immediate aftermath.
The latest crash comes less than a week after a Pakistan Army helicopter went down in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, killing personnel on board. That incident was attributed to a technical fault by the military.
