Helicopter crashed during rescue operation in Bajour

MEHMOND: In a tragic incident, a Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government helicopter crashed during a rescue mission to evacuate people trapped in floods Bajour area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The KP Chief Minister, Ali Amin Gandapur, revealed that a provincial government MI-17 helicopter carrying relief supplies to areas affected by heavy rains crashed due to bad weather.

As a result of the tragic accident, five crew members, including two pilots, were martyred. In light of this heartbreaking incident, the provincial government has announced a day of mourning tomorrow.

Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur stated that the national flag will be flown at half-mast across the province as a mark of respect. Rescue teams have already been dispatched to the site of the accident.

The Chief Minister confirmed that the bodies of the martyrs will be laid to rest with full state honors. “We share the grief of the families of the martyrs,” said Ali Amin Gandapur, expressing deep sorrow and solidarity. He also offered prayers for the elevation of the ranks of the martyrs and patience and strength for their bereaved families.

Paying tribute to the fallen crew, he said that they sacrificed their lives in the line of duty to save others, calling them true heroes whose sacrifice will be remembered in history, written in golden letters.

The crash took place as the province is grappling with record flooding, cloudbursts, and persistent rains that have devastated communities.

According to provincial officials, more than 200 individuals have been killed in rain-related accidents in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in the last few days, while hundreds are wounded and thousands are displaced.