Search operation for the missing Major General Muhammad Nawaz Director General of Rangers Punjab is under way under the supervision of General Officer Commanding (GOC) Multan Major General Sadiq Ali, while three bodies have so far been recovered from the River Indus on Thursday.
GOC Major General Sadiq Ali said, "We have recovered three bodies but Rangers Director General's body was not found yet," saying that it was merely an accident. Four officials of the Rangers, including Punjab Director General Major General Muhammad Nawaz and his son Captain Asif Nawaz were in the copter when it crashed into the river near Kot Sultan, Layyah. The body of Captain Asif Nawaz had been identified whereas one body could not be identified.
The helicopter was on routine operational duty when it fell into the Indus. Major General Nawaz, his son Captain Asif Nawaz, pilot Aamer Abbas, Subedar Ibadullah, and a technician were on board. The helicopter had departed Dera Ghazi Khan and just 25 minutes after take-off crashed and fell into the River Indus in Mauza Bakhriwala near Kot Sultan.
"The crashed chopper was almost entirely submerged in the water and only a minor portion of it was visible," said an eyewitness, Ghaffar Baloch. "The resident heard the terrible sound and Punjab Agriculture Minister Ahmad Ali Olakh and other authorities reached the spot. The crash is being linked to cloudy weather and dust storms.
According to reports, the chopper was in contact with officials at the Multan Airport till 10:12am after which it lost contact with the control tower. A Rangers spokesman said the copter was going to Kashmore but had to be re-routed for Multan due to inclement weather.
Layyah DPO Muhammad Saleem said the helicopter caught fire midair before crashing. He confirmed that rescue operation was in progress and three dead bodies had so far been recovered. A special team of divers joined the rescue operation and retrieved wreckage of the destroyed helicopter.
Comments
Comments are closed for this article.