One killed as Pak helicopter crashes into dam

ISLAMABAD: A Pakistani military helicopter crashed into a dam in the northwestern tribal region on Tuesday, killing an army officer and leaving three others missing.

Soldiers and paramilitary personnel were on board the helicopter when it came down in dam water at 7.30 a.m., some 10 kilometers west of Bannu, a major city in the region, police officer Shah Wali Khan said. Three soldiers have been rescued by army divers.

Khan said divers have pulled out the body of an army captain while three soldiers are missing.

He said the three missing soldiers are feared drowned, as the water level in the dam is very deep.

The helicopter came down apparently due to technical problem, Superintendent of Police, Bannu Iqbal Khan told reporters.

He said the helicopter was on routine mission.

Bannu is located close to the restive North Waziristan tribal region, where the army is hunting Al-Qaeda suspects and their local supporters.