Pakistani Air Force training crash kills two pilots near Mardan
6 reported2 unconfirmed
A Pakistani Air Force aircraft crashed during a routine training mission in an open area near the northwestern city of Mardan on Monday, killing both pilots, according to the military and officials. The military identified the pilots as Flt. Lt. Muhammad Qasim Abdullah of the Pakistan Air Force and Lt. Taha Abbasi of the Navy. A board of inquiry has been ordered to determine the cause of the crash. In separate statements, President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, and the armed forces expressed “deep grief” over the loss of lives and extended condolences to the families. The article notes that military training crashes have occurred periodically in Pakistan, though details are often not immediately made public and investigation findings are rarely released. This crash comes less than a week after 22 soldiers were killed when an army helicopter went down in Pakistan-administered Kashmir due to a technical fault, according to the military.
What’s reported
A Pakistani Air Force aircraft crashed during a routine training mission near Mardan on Monday.
Both pilots were killed: Flt. Lt. Muhammad Qasim Abdullah (Air Force) and Lt. Taha Abbasi (Navy).
A board of inquiry has been ordered to determine the crash cause.
President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, and the armed forces expressed “deep grief” and condolences.
The article states that military training crashes have occurred periodically in Pakistan, with details and findings rarely released.
The crash occurred less than a week after 22 soldiers died in an army helicopter crash in Pakistan-administered Kashmir due to a technical fault.
Open questions
What caused the crash?
Will the board of inquiry’s findings be made public?
Key figures
Flt. Lt. Muhammad Qasim Abdullah (Pakistan Air Force pilot, deceased)
Lt. Taha Abbasi (Navy pilot, deceased)
President Asif Ali Zardari
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif
Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir
Sources: abcnews.com
