Pakistan Seeks Afghan, US Assistance in Recovery of Crashed Chopper’s Crew

Pakistan on Friday, sought help from the US and Afghan government to ensure safe return of the crew of a Pakistani helicopter that crash-landed in Logar province of Afghanistan and is being held by the Taliban.

An MI-17 helicopter owned by Punjab provincial government was on its way to Russia for routine maintenance when it was forced to make crash-landing in Logar on Thursday, a province with large areas under Taliban control.

Pakistan army spokesman said that army chief General Raheel Sharif called NATO and US forces top commander in Afghanistan General John Nicholson and Afghan President Ashraf Ghani for help to get back the crew.

“General Nicolson assured all possible help in this regard,” it said.

President Ghani also promised his support in locating and getting back the crew members, army said.

Afghan ministry of defense spokesman Dawlat Waziri said in a statement in Kabul that his country “ordered its security forces to use all force necessary to rescue the helicopter crew in question.”

It is not known what forced the plane to crash-land in the hostile terrain and region.