At least six people died while eight were critically injured after a helicopter of the Mari Petroleum Company Ltd (MPCL) crashed near the Shewa oil field in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s North Waziristan, a statement issued by the company said on Saturday.

According to the statement, the helicopter providing personal transportation crashed after its engine failed, adding that relief operations by the armed forces and other institutions were ongoing.

It stated that a total of 14 passengers were onboard — including three foreign pilots when the incident occurred. Consequently, it said six people were killed while eight others were injured.

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The accident occurred due to technical reasons and it had nothing to do with the security situation in the area, it said.

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) issued a statement on the helicopter crash, stating that the aircraft departed Islamabad at 11:15am.

“Due to engine failure, the helicopter attempted an emergency landing in Shewa,” it said, adding that the helicopter’s tail rotor hit the ground and overturned during the landing attempt.

The statement said six crew members, one safety officer and 14 passengers were aboard the aircraft, adding that a search and rescue operation had been launched from Islamabad with the help of the Pakistan Army.

According to the CAA, MPCL was using a Russian-made helicopter to reach remote areas for oil and gas exploration. The CAA said the helicopter was taken on a wet lease by Princely Jet from a Russian company, for which the CAA had issued a six-month air operator certificate.

The lease was due to expire today. The statement added that the Russian company that owned the craft, PANH Helicopters, was responsible for its maintenance and the crew’s training.

The CAA said the Bureau of Safety Investigation would further investigate the incident.

KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur and Governor Faisal Karim Kundi expressed grief and sorrow over the loss of life in separate statements.

They termed the development an unfortunate incident and sought a report on the accident from the higher authorities.

The two extended condolences to the families of those who died in the incident and prayed for early recovery of those injured, directing the provision of all possible medical facilities to them.

Additional reporting by Imtiaz Ali.