Helicopter Crash In Northern Pakistan Claims At Least 6 Lives

At least six people died in a helicopter crash in northern Pakistan on Saturday, according to security sources.

The sources, who requested anonymity due to lack of authorization to speak publicly, reported that the helicopter was chartered by a private company in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. It went down shortly after takeoff in the unstable North Waziristan region near the Afghan border.

There were approximately 14 passengers aboard, including Russian pilots. Eight others sustained injuries and were taken to a nearby hospital.

Pakistan's military and civilian aviation sectors have experienced numerous air accidents over the past decade. In 2022, a military helicopter crashed during a training exercise in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, resulting in the deaths of both pilots. Additionally, in 2020, a Pakistan International Airlines Airbus jet crashed into a densely populated area of Karachi, killing most of the 99 people on board.