Muzaffarabad: All personnel on board were killed after a Pakistan Army Aviation Mi-17 helicopter crashed near Muzaffarabad in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) on Wednesday.
The helicopter crashed shortly after take-off due to a technical fault, Pakistan’s Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said, adding that all personnel on board were killed.
There is strong military presence in and around Muzaffarabad due to violent clashes between security forces and civilians who have been demanding the lowering of prices of basic commodities like wheat.
Authorities in the province banned the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) – a conglomerate of civil society coalitions, trade bodies, and various socio-religious groups based in PoJK – under anti-terror laws after it planned a protest march on Tuesday.
Over 30 people were killed by security forces in Rawalakot on Tuesday after protests were held against the killing of a trader and JAAC activist. The dead included pregnant women and children.
The Mi-17 is a Russian-made medium-lift transport helicopter developed by the Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant as an upgraded version of the Mi-8.
The helicopter can carry up to 30 soldiers, 12 stretchers or around 4,000kg of cargo, while an external sling allows it to lift loads of up to three tonnes. It is powered by two Klimov TV3-117 engines and can reach speeds of up to 250km/h, as reported by The Times of India.
Five Pakistan Army personnel were killed when an Mi-17 helicopter crashed near Hudor village in Gilgit-Baltistan’s Diamer district after developing a technical fault during a routine training flight in September last year. According to the military’s media wing, the helicopter went down about 12 kilometres from Thakdas Cantonment, killing all those on board.
Mi-17 and Mi-17V5 helicopters are also used extensively by the Indian Air Force. They are considered hardy aircraft that can be used for multiple tasks.
