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A chartered helicopter owned by Mari Petroleum Company Limited (MPCL) crashed in North Waziristan on Saturday, resulting in six fatalities and injuring 10 others on board.
Sources indicate that the Mi-8 helicopter crashed near an oilfield in the Shewa tehsil shortly after takeoff. Reports suggest that the pilots attempted to land the helicopter safely; however, the tail rotor hit the ground, causing the crash, Dawn reported. The helicopter was carrying a total of 21 people, including two foreign pilots. Initial investigations have confirmed that the crash was due to a technical fault, with no indications of sabotage detected. Mari Petroleum operates in the Waziristan Block, previously known as Bannu West, located in the North Waziristan district. In June 2022, the company made a notable gas and condensate discovery at the Shewa-1 exploratory well, marking the largest hydrocarbon find in the country in the past 12 years. The company recently celebrated another achievement at the Shewa-2 appraisal-cum-exploratory well, which commenced on June 12, 2023, reported Dawn. The Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) released a statement indicating that the Mi-8MTV-1 helicopter (registration mark: RA-24537 MSN 97518) took off from Islamabad at 11:15 AM for Shewa, later departing for Bannu at 1:15 PM after a passenger change. However, due to engine failure, the helicopter was forced to make an emergency landing at Shewa. During the landing, the tail rotor struck the ground, causing the helicopter to overturn. There were 21 individuals on board, comprising six crew members, a safety officer, and 14 passengers. Search and rescue operations, assisted by a military helicopter, were launched from Peshawar to evacuate the injured. Reports indicate that the injured were airlifted to CMH. The helicopter, leased from Russia's PANH Helicopters, was engaged in supporting Mari Petroleum's operations in remote regions of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. It was operating under a wet lease agreement facilitated by Princely Jets, with the PCAA granting permission for six months, Dawn reported. This lease was set to expire on September 28, 2024, the same day as the crash. The Bureau of Safety Investigation will carry out a comprehensive inquiry into the incident. (ANI)
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