Pakistan military aircraft crashes in training sortie

A Pakistani military aircraft crashed in the northwest of the country yesterday, killing both pilots, officials said.

The crash, near the city of Mardan, was the second deadly military air disaster in less than a week after an army helicopter crashed in Pakistan-administered Kashmir on Wednesday, killing all on board.

“Pakistan Air Force trainer aircraft on a routine training sortie has crashed near Mardan today,” the military’s media wing said in a statement.

Two pilots on board — one from the Air Force and the other from the Navy — were killed, the statement said, without specifying the type of aircraft.

“A board of inquiry has been constituted by Air Headquarters to ascertain the cause of accident,” it added.

Pakistan’s military is also investigating the helicopter crash near the capital of Pakistan-administered Kashmir, saying it was due to a technical fault.

Officials have not said how many were onboard when it went down.

Pakistan has a chequered military and civilian aviation safety record, with frequent plane and helicopter crashes over the years especially in its mountainous areas to the north.