QUETTA: An army helicopter was damaged while making an emergency landing five kilometres off Kalat town on Monday.

Two pilots and a technician received minor injuries.

Sources said the helicopter met with the accident soon after takeoff from the fort of Kalat Scouts.

“The helicopter made the emergency landing at the Quetta-Karachi National Highway,” Kalat Deputy Commissioner Salahuddin Noorzai told Dawn.Another official said the emergency landing was made because one of the wings of the helicopter touched an electricity wire of the high transmission line.

But Brigadier Rahim of the Inter-Services Public Relations, Quetta, said the MI-17 cargo helicopter had developed some technical fault soon after takeoff, forcing it to land on the highway.

The Army Aviation has ordered an inquiry into the incident.