Pakistan helicopter crashes during monsoon rescue mission, 5 killed

A helicopter crashed during a rescue mission in monsoon-hit northern Pakistan on Friday, killing all five crew on board, the chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province told AFP.

“An MI-17 helicopter of the provincial government, carrying relief goods for rain-affected areas of Bajaur, crashed in the Pandiyali area of Mohmand district due to bad weather,” Ali Amin Gandapur said in a statement.

“Five crew members, including two pilots, were killed.”

The crash comes as Pakistan reels from devastating monsoon rains that have killed at least 117 people in the past 24 hours, the majority in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Bajaur, one of the areas the helicopter was heading towards, has been declared a disaster-hit district following deadly flash floods, cloudbursts and landslides.

The summer monsoon, vital for South Asia’s agriculture, has brought unusually heavy downpours this year, with authorities warning of more rain in the coming days.