Pakistan Army Mi-17 helicopter crashes in PoK near Muzaffarabad, all aboard killed
Synopsis
A Pakistan Army Mi-17 helicopter has crashed near Muzaffarabad in PoK, killing everyone on board — the latest in a string of at least three fatal Mi-17 crashes involving Pakistani military and government aircraft in under three years. An ISPR-ordered inquiry is underway, but questions about fleet maintenance and operational safety are mounting.
Key Takeaways
A Pakistan Army Mi-17 helicopter crashed near Muzaffarabad, PoK , on 10 June , killing all personnel on board.
The crash occurred during take-off due to a reported technical fault , according to ISPR .
Rescue and recovery teams have been deployed and a formal inquiry has been ordered .
In September 2025 , a Pakistan Army Mi-17 crashed in Diamer district, PoGB , killing all 5 crew members .
In August 2025 , a Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government Mi-17 crashed in Mohmand district , also killing all 5 crew members .
In 2022 , a Pakistan Army helicopter wreckage was found in Lasbela, Balochistan , with all 6 on board killed.
A Mi-17 helicopter belonging to the Pakistan Army's aviation wing crashed near Muzaffarabad, the main city of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), on Wednesday, 10 June, killing all personnel on board. The crash occurred during take-off and was attributed to a technical fault, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the official media wing of the Pakistan Armed Forces.
What Happened
The helicopter went down in the vicinity of Muzaffarabad shortly after becoming airborne, with a technical malfunction cited as the cause. ISPR confirmed the crash and stated that rescue and recovery teams were immediately dispatched to the site. An inquiry has been ordered to determine the precise technical cause of the accident, according to Pakistani daily Dawn.
A Recurring Pattern of Military Aviation Accidents
This is not an isolated incident. In September 2025, another Mi-17 helicopter of the Pakistan Army crashed near Hudor village, approximately 12 kilometres from Thakdas Cantonment in Diamer district of Pakistan-occupied Gilgit-Baltistan (PoGB), killing all five crew members on board. The ISPR had confirmed at the time that the helicopter was on a routine training flight when it developed a technical fault.
In August 2025, a Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government Mi-17 carrying flood relief supplies crashed in Mohmand district while en route to the flood-hit Salarzai area of Bajaur district, killing all five crew members. Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa's then Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur confirmed the deaths, with the aircraft reportedly losing contact in bad weather.
Earlier, in 2022, the wreckage of a Pakistan Army helicopter that had gone missing in Balochistan was recovered in Lasbela district. All six officers and soldiers on board were killed, according to an ISPR statement at the time.
Scale of the Latest Crash
The exact number of personnel on board the 10 June crash has not been officially confirmed in initial reports. ISPR confirmed fatalities without specifying the headcount, and local media cited the military's media wing as the primary source. The inquiry ordered is expected to shed light on the crew composition and the precise sequence of events during take-off.
What Comes Next
Pakistan's military has ordered a formal investigation into the Muzaffarabad crash. The frequency of Mi-17 accidents in Pakistan — at least three fatal crashes involving this aircraft type in under three years — is likely to intensify scrutiny of the fleet's maintenance standards and operational protocols. Results of the inquiry are awaited.
Point of View
Not a run of bad luck. The ISPR's pattern of ordering inquiries after each crash without publicly releasing findings does little to establish accountability. For a military that positions itself as the guarantor of national security, a recurring failure in basic aviation safety is a credibility problem as much as a logistical one. Whether this latest inquiry produces actionable findings, or quietly joins the shelf of unresolved accident reports, will be the real test.
NationPress
28 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Where did the Pakistan Army Mi-17 helicopter crash on 10 June?
The helicopter crashed near Muzaffarabad, the main city of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), during take-off on 10 June. ISPR confirmed the crash was caused by a technical fault.
Were there any survivors in the Muzaffarabad helicopter crash?
No. All personnel on board the Mi-17 helicopter were killed in the crash, according to ISPR. The exact number of crew and passengers has not been officially specified in initial reports.
What is an Mi-17 helicopter?
The Mi-17 is a Russian-made medium-lift military transport helicopter widely used by the Pakistan Army and several South Asian governments for troop transport, logistics, and disaster relief operations.
How many Pakistan Army helicopter crashes have occurred in recent years?
At least three fatal crashes involving Mi-17 aircraft have occurred since 2022: a 2022 crash in Lasbela, Balochistan (6 killed); a September 2025 crash in Diamer, PoGB (5 killed); and this 10 June crash near Muzaffarabad, PoK. A separate Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government Mi-17 also crashed in August 2025, killing 5.
What action has Pakistan's military taken after the crash?
ISPR confirmed that rescue and recovery teams were rushed to the crash site and a formal inquiry has been ordered to determine the exact technical cause of the accident.
