Pakistan Army Mushshak Training Aircraft Crashes Near Quetta Due to Technical Fault, Instructor Major Husnain Shehzad Humayun and Trainee Captain Abdul Samad Martyred

QUETTA: A Mushshak training aircraft of Pakistan Army Aviation crashed near Quetta, the capital of Balochistan, around midday on Monday after developing a technical fault, martyring both pilots on board. In a statement, the military’s media wing, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), said the aircraft went down near Nawan Killi in Quetta district.

The martyred pilots

The ISPR identified the two officers as Major Husnain Shehzad Humayun, who was flying as the instructor pilot, and Captain Abdul Samad, the student pilot under training. Both belonged to Pakistan Army Aviation, and the aircraft was on a training flight when the technical fault developed.

Condolences from the president, prime minister and interior minister

President Asif Ali Zardari expressed deep grief over the martyrdom of the two pilots, extended condolences to their families and prayed for the elevation of their ranks and for patience for the bereaved. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in his condolence message, said the brave sons who laid down their lives for the country were a source of pride for the nation, adding that the entire nation shared the grief of the martyrs’ families. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi also expressed sorrow, saying the government stood with the bereaved families in this hour of grief, while Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti likewise conveyed his sadness over the crash.

The crash follows a difficult year for military aviation training flights in Pakistan: in June this year, an Army Aviation Mi-17 helicopter crashed near Muzaffarabad during take-off, and a Pakistan Air Force training aircraft also crashed near Mardan during a routine sortie, with pilots martyred in both incidents.