PAF training aircraft crashes near Mardan, killing two pilots

A Pakistan Air Force (PAF) training aircraft crashed near Mardan in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Monday, killing both pilots on board, the military said.

The aircraft was carrying out a routine training sortie when it went down. The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) did not disclose what caused the crash.

What happened in the PAF aircraft crash near Mardan?

ISPR identified the deceased as Flight Lieutenant Muhammad Qasim Abdullah of the Pakistan Air Force and Lieutenant Taha Abbasi of the Pakistan Navy.

Both pilots were on board a training aircraft that crashed near Mardan during a routine sortie on Monday. The military did not share further details about the crash.

What caused the crash?

The cause of the crash was not immediately known, ISPR said. Air Headquarters has set up a board of inquiry to investigate the incident.

The board will determine what led to the accident and submit its findings in due course.

How have officials responded to the crash?

Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Staff, expressed grief over the deaths of the two pilots, ISPR said. The armed forces extended condolences to the bereaved families and paid tribute to the officers' service and sacrifice.

The crash comes nearly a week after a Pakistan Army Aviation helicopter went down in Azad Jammu and Kashmir due to a technical fault, killing all personnel on board. Following that incident, Munir and all ranks of the Pakistan Army expressed deep sorrow over the loss of lives and extended condolences to the families of the deceased, the military said.