Bajaur, August 17, 2025: Investigators on Sunday recovered the black box, or cockpit voice recorder, of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government’s MI-17 helicopter that crashed in Mohmand district earlier this week.
The helicopter went down on August 15 while carrying relief goods for flood-affected residents in the Salarzai area of Bajaur, claiming the lives of all five crew members on board.
Officials confirmed that a team of experts from Karachi, with assistance from local police, located the black box nearly 100 meters from the crash site. The device has been handed over to the relevant authorities for analysis to help determine the cause of the accident.
Meanwhile, the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) has released updated figures on casualties and damages caused by recent torrential rains and flash floods across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
According to the PDMA, at least 313 people have lost their lives and 156 others sustained injuries in various rain-related incidents. The deceased include 263 men, 29 women, and 21 children, while the injured comprise 123 men, 23 women, and 10 children.
The authority further reported that 159 houses were damaged, with 97 partially destroyed and 62 completely demolished. Rescue and relief operations are ongoing in the affected areas.
