Pakistan Air Force training aircraft crashes near Mardan, both pilots killed

A Pakistan Air Force training aircraft crashed during a routine training mission near Mardan in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on Monday, killing both pilots on board, according to Pakistan's military. The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the media wing of the armed forces, said the trainer aircraft went down while conducting a routine training sortie. The military identified the deceased as Flight Lieutenant Muhammad Qasim Abdullah of the Pakistan Air Force and Lieutenant Taha Abbasi of the Pakistan Navy. "A board of inquiry has been constituted by Air Headquarters to ascertain the cause of the accident," the ISPR said. Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir, other service chiefs and members of the armed forces expressed condolences following the crash. The military said they expressed "deep grief over the tragic loss of precious lives and extend heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families". President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also expressed condolences over the deaths of the two pilots. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar described the incident as a "tragic crash" and paid tribute to the pilots. “Heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. May Allah grant the departed highest ranks in Jannah and give strength to their loved ones in this difficult time,” Dar posted on X. The crash comes less than a week after a Pakistan Army Aviation Mi-17 helicopter crashed near Muzaffarabad in Pakistan-administered Kashmir during take-off, reportedly due to a technical fault. According to the military, all 22 personnel on board were killed in the June 10 crash and a board of inquiry was ordered to determine the exact cause. Pakistan has witnessed several military helicopter and aircraft accidents in recent years. According to reporting by Pakistani daily Dawn, five military personnel were killed in September 2025 when an army helicopter crashed in Gilgit-Baltistan's Diamer district following a reported technical fault. Earlier that year, a Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government rescue helicopter crashed in Mohmand district during bad weather, killing two pilots and three crew members. *(Inputs from Dawn)* Accroding to the Dawn, The second half of 2022 also saw two fatal army helicopter crashes. In August that year, six military personnel, including Commander 12 Corps Lieutenant General Sarfraz Ali, were killed when a helicopter went down in Balochistan's Lasbela district. A month later, six army officers, including two majors, died when another helicopter crashed during a mission near Khost in Balochistan's Harnai district. (Wiht inputs from AP and PTI)