BUNER – Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government helicopter carrying relief supplies to Bajaur district crashed on Friday, killing all five on board, including two pilots and three crew members. The crash occurred amid severe monsoon rains and flash floods that have devastated large parts of region.
KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur confirmed the loss, calling it a tragic accident caused by adverse weather conditions. “The provincial government has declared a day of mourning, with flags to be flown at half-mast. Rescue teams have been dispatched to the site, and the martyrs will be buried with full honours,” he said.
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The helicopter crash occurred as heavy rains and flash floods wreaked havoc across KP, killing at least 189 people and leaving several others missing, according to the Provincial Disaster Management Agency (PDMA). Since late June, monsoon rains have caused deadly floods, landslides, and mass displacement in vulnerable, densely populated, and poorly drained areas.
Buner district has been the worst-hit, reporting 91 deaths. The province-wide casualties include 163 men, 14 women, and 12 children. Across the province, 45 homes, three schools, and eight other structures have been destroyed, with 37 partially damaged homes and seven completely destroyed.
Heavy rains are expected to continue intermittently until August 21. In response, the KP government has released Rs500 million in relief funds for the most affected districts: Rs150 million for Buner, Rs100 million each for Bajaur, Battagram, and Mansehra, and Rs50 million for Swat.
Floodwaters have submerged areas like Pir Baba Bazaar in Buner, destroyed a mosque in Gokand, and killed livestock. Roads remain blocked, making rescue operations extremely challenging. Helicopters are being used to evacuate people from inaccessible areas.
Other affected districts include Bajaur, where eight children were among 21 killed; Battagram, which reported 15 deaths due to lightning strikes; and Mansehra, with 14 deaths and two injuries. Swat recorded 11 fatalities due to floods and thunder strikes, while roof collapses in Lower Dir killed five and injured three, and Shangla reported two deaths and two injuries.
Since June 26, floods and torrential rains across Pakistan have claimed at least 325 lives, including 142 children, and injured 743 others, according to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).
Authorities continue rescue and relief operations, with over 157 bodies recovered and more than 100 people—including women and childre rescued and moved to safer locations. KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif have urged officials to accelerate rescue efforts.
