KARACHI: On Monday night, a helicopter conveying senior military officers vanished in Balochistan.
Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR ) released an official statement that read, “A Pakistan army aviation helicopter that was engaged in flood rescue operations in Lasbela, Balochistan, lost touch with ATC.
There were six people on board, including Lt Gen Sarfraz Ali, the Commander of the XII Corps, who was in charge of managing the flood relief efforts in Balochistan. According to some sources, the director general of the Pakistan Coast Guard, Brigadier Amjad Hanif Satti, may have also been aboard the missing helicopter.
At the time of going to print, a search effort was underway, according to the military’s media wing, and more information would be shared as it became available.
A joint search effort between police and the Frontier Corps has been going on for the past five hours, according to Deputy Inspector General of Police Khuzdar Range Pervez Umrani.
According to police officials, the area where the helicopter vanished was rugged and devoid of even vehicle trails, making it very challenging for the search and rescue teams.
A senior official remarked, “Either you travel on foot, motorcycles, or use aerial surveillance.”
Other issues include no electricity and poor cell phone reception. According to reports, police enlisted the help of community volunteers to aid in the hunt.
