A Pakistan Army helicopter crashed near Muzaffarabad in Pakistan-administered Kashmir on Wednesday, killing all personnel on board, military authorities confirmed.
According to a statement issued by the military’s media wing, the Mi-17 helicopter went down shortly after take-off due to a technical fault.
“An Mi-17 helicopter of Pakistan Army Aviation crashed near Muzaffarabad today during take-off due to technical fault,” the statement said.
The military added that there were no survivors.
“All personnel on board embraced Shahadat (martyrdom),” the statement added, without disclosing the number of casualties.
The crash occurred in Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistan-controlled Kashmir, a region regarded as highly sensitive because of its long-standing dispute between Pakistan and India.
The area has witnessed decades of tension, including military confrontations and wars between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.
The incident comes amid heightened security in Muzaffarabad following reports that members of a protest movement planned demonstrations despite a recent government ban imposed under anti-terrorism laws.
Kashmir, a Muslim-majority region, is claimed in full by both India and Pakistan but has remained divided between the two countries since their independence from British rule in 1947.
Authorities have yet to release further details regarding the identities of those on board or the circumstances surrounding the crash.
