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Afghan gov't launches probe into Pakistani chopper crash

Xinhua, August 5, 2016 Adjust font size:

Afghan Defense Ministry spokesman General Dawlat Waziri said Friday that the government has initiated a probe into the crash-landing of a Pakistani helicopter in the eastern Logar province.

A Pakistani helicopter crash-landed in Azra district of Logar province on Thursday and Saleem Saleh, the spokesman for Logar provincial government, said the accident occurred in Taliban-held area and Taliban militants took hostage six crew after setting fire on the chopper.

In a statement released by the Defense Ministry on Friday, Waziri confirmed that Afghan government had given permission to a Pakistani helicopter to use Afghanistan's air space, but it was not known so far if the MI-17 helicopter crash-landed in Logar was that plane.

Nevertheless, the spokesman added that Afghan government has instructed security forces to do their best to ensure the safe release of the crew in captivity.

Meanwhile, spokesman of Pakistani Embassy to Kabul, Akhtar Munir confirmed the crashed MI-17 helicopter was owned by the provincial Punjab government of Pakistan.

According to the Pakistani embassy spokesman, the chopper was on its way to Russia for routine maintenance when it suffered unknown technical problems and made crash landing in Azra of Logar province. Endit