Pakistan Army training aircraft crashes near Quetta, two pilots killed

Two Pakistan Army pilots were killed on Monday (October 12) after their training aircraft crashed near Quetta, the provincial capital of Balochistan, due to a technical fault, the army said.

“(At) midday, a Mushshak training aircraft of Pakistan Army Aviation crashed near Nawan Killi, Quetta, due to a technical fault,” the army said in a statement.

The pilots, instructor Major Husnain Shehzad Humayun and trainee Captain Abdul Samad, died in the “unfortunate crash”, it added.

Pakistan President expresses grief 

President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed grief over the deaths of the two army personnel. 

The President of Pakistan, in a post on X, wrote: “President Asif Ali Zardari expresses grief over the martyrdom of two pilots in the crash of a Pakistan Air Force training aircraft near Quetta. The President expresses profound sorrow and grief over the martyrdom of Major Hussnain Shehzad Humayun and Captain Abdul Samad. The President extends heartfelt condolences and sympathy to the families of the martyrs. The President prays for the martyrs to be granted high ranks and for their bereaved families to be blessed with patience.”

According to the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also expressed grief and sorrow over the martyrdom of the two pilots.

Interior Minister Mohsin also expressed sorrow over the martyrdom of the two pilots. “In this hour of sorrow, we stand with the martyrs’ bereaved families,” Naqvi was quoted as saying in a statement.

In June, an Mi-17 helicopter operated by Pakistan Army Aviation crashed near Muzaffarabad in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, killing all personnel on board.

(With PTI inputs)

The story is being updated.