Afghan National Army Mil Mi-17 helicopter crashed after a technical malfunction. There are said to be at least seven fatalities.
The helicopter belonged to the 777 Army Special Forces helicopter went dow[n in Durrah-i-Hairratan, an area on the outskirts of Mazar-i-Sharif at about 5:00 p.m. local time and the site of the crash was secured by army personnel, a police officer from the Afghan National Police told Xinhua.
“Initial information found that seven people aboard of the chopper lost their lives and no one was hurt on the ground. The crash site has been secured by Afghan army personnel,” he said.
“We can confirm the crash was not the result of enemy action,” Nazar Khodai from army’s Corps 209 Shaheen told Xinhua.
The army was investigating the circumstances of the crash to determine more facts and would release relevant details as appropriate, he noted.
Two pilots were wounded in April after a small army helicopter crashed in southern Kandahar province.
Officials say an Afghan army helicopter has crashed in northern Balkh Province, leaving at least seven army personnel, including the crew members, dead.
Mohammad Afzel Hadid, head of the provincial council in Balkh, says that Tuesday’s late afternoon crash was the result of a technical problem on the outskirts of Mazar-e Sharif, the capital of Balkh.
Hadid said the mishap was not caused by enemy fire and that area has no insurgent activity.
Hanif Rezaie, spokesman for the army crops in northern Balkh, also confirmed the crash of the chopper near the Hairatan area outside the city.
He says an investigation is going on to find out what caused the crash.
Afghan helicopter pilots must have been trained by IAF MIG , pilots. That’s why are crashing so regularly.
This helicopter must have been gifted by endian government.