All personnel on board a Pakistan Army Aviation Mi-17 helicopter were killed after the aircraft crashed near Muzaffarabad on Wednesday during take-off due to a technical fault, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).
In a statement, the military's media wing said rescue and recovery teams reached the crash site immediately after the accident. However, there were no survivors.
"All personnel on board embraced martyrdom. There were no survivors," the ISPR said, adding that a board of inquiry had been ordered to determine the exact technical cause of the crash.
Chief of Defence Staff and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, along with all ranks of the Pakistan Army, expressed deep grief over the loss of life and extended condolences to the bereaved families.
The Russian-made Mi-17 helicopter, widely used by Pakistan Army Aviation since the late 1990s, is employed for transport, utility and combat missions. The aircraft can carry a crew of three and up to 24 troops or four tonnes of cargo. Over the years, the United States has assisted Pakistan in refurbishing and overhauling 22 Mi-17 helicopters.
President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also expressed sorrow over the tragedy. In separate statements, both leaders paid tribute to the personnel who lost their lives and extended sympathies to their families.
"The entire nation pays tribute to the great sacrifice of the martyrs and shares the grief of the bereaved families," President Zardari said.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said the nation saluted the brave soldiers for their sacrifices and prayed for the elevation of the martyrs' ranks and for strength and patience for their loved ones.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said he was deeply saddened by the crash and praised the service and sacrifice of the personnel killed in the accident.
"We salute their service, courage and sacrifice in the line of duty. Our thoughts and prayers are with the bereaved families during this hour of grief," he wrote on X.
Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti also expressed condolences, describing the deceased personnel as the pride of the nation who sacrificed their lives for Pakistan's security and defence.
The Senate offered Fateha for those killed in the crash, with Senator Maulana Attaur Rehman leading special prayers.
The incident is the latest in a series of military aviation accidents attributed to technical faults. In September 2025, five military personnel were killed when an army helicopter crashed in the Diamer district of Gilgit-Baltistan during a flight operation.