Balochistan, Pakistan

In a tragic incident, a Pakistan Navy helicopter crashed in the southwestern city of Gwadar, Balochistan province, resulting in the loss of three crew members' lives, media reports said. The military reportedly disclosed that the crash was likely caused by a mechanical fault. The ill-fated helicopter was engaged in a training flight when the incident occurred. Gwadar, a port city, and the broader Balochistan province have been marred by a long-standing separatist insurgency that involves various ethnic Baloch nationalist groups that seek greater autonomy or even complete independence from Pakistan.

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These separatist groups argue that the resources in Balochistan, including natural gas and minerals, are being exploited by the Pakistani government without sufficient benefit to the local population. This conflict makes it a challenging operational area for the military.

Engine fire during takeoff

The Sea King aircraft experienced a catastrophic event during takeoff at approximately 10:00 am local time (0500 GMT). It suffered an engine fire and lost its rear tail, as indicated in a preliminary report obtained by AFP from a military source.

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The crash, believed to result from a technical malfunction, claimed the lives of two officers and one enlisted man, according to the navy spokesman quoted by AFP news agency. 

Balochistan, Pakistan's largest province, remains heavily militarised due to significant Chinese investment projects in the area, which frequently become targets for separatist militant activities.

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The insurgency has led to a complex security situation, with sporadic acts of violence, attacks on security forces, and disruptions to infrastructure projects, including those related to CPEC.

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As a result, the military has to maintain a significant presence and conduct counterinsurgency operations in the region to safeguard security and maintain stability, particularly in and around Gwadar.

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The challenging security environment can make routine military activities, such as training flights, riskier and more demanding.

Previous tragedies

This unfortunate incident comes after other helicopter crashes in Balochistan. Just last September, six servicemen lost their lives in a helicopter crash in Khost, a small town in the province. Additionally, a month earlier than that, six more servicemen, including one of the army's top commanders, were killed when their helicopter crashed while participating in flood relief operations in Balochistan.

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