Pakistan army helicopter crashes in NW Pakistan
Pakistan Times Wire Service

BANNU: A Pakistan army helicopter crashed into Baran dam early Wednesday near Bannu, killing one and leaving three people missing, officials said.

Three others were rescued. The crash was caused probably by a technical fault but army authorities have launched an investigation, said DPO Bannu Mohammed Iqbal Khan.

Seven people, including crewmembers, were on board the helicopter that went down shortly after taking off from a base in Bannu and was heading to Miran Shah, North Waziristan.

Rescuers pulled three people alive from the dam and retrieved at least one dead body.

The pilot and co pilot feared to be dead in the incident .

Meanwhile, another report says that investigation into the helicopter destroyed after crash near Bannu has started.

ISPR sources told that Pakistan Army Aviation’s helicopter Bell 412, which was on a routine flight this morning crashed into the Barani Dam, 10-kilometre west of Bannu and was destroyed, probably due to some technical fault.

The sources told that an enquiry to find out the real cause of the incident has been ordered.

Three among the seven persons on board the helicopter were saved alive, while the remaining four were still missing and the search for them was on. The recovery of one body from the place of incident was reported, but ISPR has so far not confirmed it.●