BANNU, June 21: Four army personnel were killed when their helicopter crashed into the Baran Dam in the Mohmandkhel area on Wednesday morning, witnesses and officials said.

The helicopter had taken off from a base camp in Bannu at around 7am for Miramshah and crashed 15 minutes later, the officials said.

Witnesses said the helicopter was making a very low flight.

The bodies retrieved from the wreckage were identified as those of Captain Shams (pilot), Captain Faisal (co-pilot), Lance Naik Ikram and sepoy Altaf.

Three other officials aboard the helicopter — Sardar Ali, Waseem Abbas and Mohammad Arshad — were rescued. They were pulled out from the sediment of the reservoir and were taken to the Combined Military Hospital in Bannu.

Witnesses said the wreckage had submerged in the water and only one wing of the helicopter was visible.

Officials said the helicopter had developed some technical fault soon after the take-off.

Security forces cordoned off the area after the crash and started the rescue work.

APP adds: The Inter-Services Public Relations directorate said the ‘Pakistan Army Aviation Helicopter Bell’ was on a routine flight. It went into the reservoir “apparently crashing due to technical fault early this morning.” An investigation has been ordered to ascertain the cause of the crash, a press release said.