Islamabad: According to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, the MI-17 helicopter was carrying relief goods to rain-affected communities in Bajaur when it went down in the Pandiyali area of Mohmand district.

“Contact with the helicopter was lost due to bad weather,” the Chief Minister said in a statement. “Five crew members, including two pilots, were killed in the crash.”

The provincial government has declared a day of mourning on Saturday, with national flags to be flown at half-mast across the province. The fallen crew members will be buried with full honours.

Rescue teams have been dispatched to the crash site as part of the recovery operation. The incident highlights the growing risks and challenges faced by emergency responders amid Pakistan’s worsening monsoon crisis.

 At least 43 people were killed and others injured in the past 24 hours due to heavy rains, floods, and landslides that hit northern Pakistan.

The Pakistan Disaster Management Authority reported that northern areas suffered extensive damage, while rescue teams continue relief operations, evacuating tourists, and reopening damaged roads.

Authorities indicated that the death toll from the monsoon rains and floods that have swept across Pakistan since June 26 has risen to 312 people, with 740 injured.