Five people, including two pilots, were killed on Friday after a Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government helicopter engaged in flood rescue operations crashed in Bajaur.
The helicopter, which had been operating in Mohmand district, was dispatched to aid victims in Bajaur before contact was lost due to severe weather conditions. The aircraft was initially reported missing, but later reports confirmed it had crashed whilst carrying out its relief mission. Two pilots were among the five people who perished.
A visual from the crash site has surfaced on social media showing the helicopter wreck.
Chief Minister Gandapur has declared a day of mourning tomorrow, with the national flag to be flown at half-mast. The helicopter was part of comprehensive relief operations following torrential rainfall, cloudbursts, and flash flooding that devastated Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan occupied Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan (GB). In the KP districts of Battagram, Bajaur, and Mansehra alone, these natural disasters have claimed at least 146 lives, injured more than 123 people, and left many others unaccounted for.
Pakistan Flash Floods: Over 49 Killed, 100s Missing In Northwestern Regions - VIDEOAccordingt to Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), the fatalities include 126 men, 12 children, and eight women, while the injured comprised 12 men, two women, and one child.
Heavy rainfall and flash flooding have destroyed 35 houses in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa — seven completely and 28 partially, as per reports. Bajaur and Buner are among the most severely affected districts, with landslides blocking vital access roads.
Rescue teams continue to face challenging conditions as search and relief operations persist across multiple flood-affected areas.
