Web Desk: A Pakistan Air Force trainer aircraft crashed during a routine training sortie near Mardan on Monday, martyring both crew members, the ISPR said.
The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said the aircraft went down while on a scheduled training mission. Both pilots on board were killed in the incident.
The military identified the deceased as Flight Lieutenant Muhammad Qasim Abdullah of the Pakistan Air Force and Lieutenant Taha Abbasi of the Pakistan Navy.
According to ISPR, both officers were declared to have embraced martyrdom following the crash.
Meanwhile, Air Headquarters has ordered the formation of a board of inquiry to determine the cause of the accident.
Officials said the investigation will examine technical factors and operational conditions that may have contributed to the crash.
In response to the incident, Pakistan’s top military leadership expressed deep sorrow over the loss of personnel.
Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Forces, along with the Services Chiefs and all ranks of the Pakistan Armed Forces, extended condolences to the families of the deceased officers.
The aircraft was conducting a standard training sortie when the crash occurred near Mardan, a city in northwestern Pakistan.
Such training flights are routinely conducted to maintain operational readiness, though accidents remain rare.
Authorities have not yet released further details regarding the type of aircraft or the possible cause of the crash, pending the outcome of the investigation.
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