Debris of missing Army helicopter found near Sassi Punnu Shrine  

Rawalpindi: The debris of Pakistan Army aviation helicopter—en route from Quetta to Karachi— with senior military officials aboard has been found in the vicinity of the Sassi Punnu Shrine, located near the Windar area, district administration reported Tuesday.  

According to Deputy Inspector-General Khuzdar Pervez Imrani, the area where the wreckage has been discovered consists of mountain ranges which created difficulties in the search operation.

Officials, however, did not issue any further details about the high-ranking army officers who were onboard.  

As per available information, Corp Commander Quetta Lieutenant General Sarfaraz Ali, who was supervising the flood relief operations in the province, was on board.

Director-General (DG) Pakistan Coast Guard, Maj. Gen Amjad, Brigadier Khalid, Major Saeed (the pilot), Major Talha (the co-pilot) and Crew Chief Naik Mudassir were also onboard. 

The chopper went off the radar after losing contact with ground control, shortly after taking off from a base in Balochistan's Lasbela district. 

The crash reportedly took place between Windar and the Sassi Punnu Shrine in Balochistan.

Local sources stated that the debris of the crashed chopper was found after a search and rescue mission was launched.