By Our Defence
Correspondent
ISLAMABAD: A Pakistan Air Force (PAF) jet crashed near Pindigheb, Attock during a routine training mission on Tuesday, the air force said in a statement.
According to the statement, no loss of life was reported. “The pilot ejected safely. No loss of life or property has been reported on the ground,” the statement said.
The air force said that a board of inquiry has been ordered to investigate the cause of the crash which is the fifth such incident since the start of this year.
Earlier in March, a PAF F-16 aircraft crashed near Shakarparian in Islamabad during rehearsals for the Mar 23 parade. Wing Commander Nauman Akram was martyred in the crash.
Another PAF trainer aircraft had crashed on Feb 12 during a routine training mission near Takht Bhai in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Mardan district. It was the third PAF training aircraft to have crashed while on a routine training mission in less than two months.
In the same month, a PAF Mirage aircraft, which was also on a routine operational training mission, had crashed near the Lahore-Multan Motorway.
Pilots in both cases had ejected safely.
Earlier in January, a PAF aircraft had crashed while on a training mission near Mianwali. Both pilots Squadron Leader Haris bin Khalid and Flying Officer Ibaadur Rehman aboard the PAF FT-7 aircraft had lost their lives in the crash.
In February, a trainer jet of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) crashed near Shorkot, district Jhang of Punjab. The Mirage jet was on a training mission, when it crashed near Shorkot, Jhang. The pilot of the aircraft remained safe.
Back in the year 2018, a trainer aircraft of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) had crashed while landing at the Peshawar Air Base, killing two pilots.
According to a PAF spokesperson, the aircraft crashed when it was returning from a routine training mission. Two pilots of the aircraft were martyred in the accident.
“Pakistan Air Force reports with regret that a PAF FT-7PG trainer aircraft, while recovering from a routine operational training mission, crashed during landing at Peshawar Air Base,” a statement issued by the PAF had said.
