Quoting a statement issued by the Paksitan military's media wing, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Dawn reported that the aircraft was on a routine training sortie when it crashed. The accident claimed the lives of Flight Lieutenant Muhammad Qasim Abdullah from the PAF and Lieutenant Taha Abbasi from the Pakistan Navy.

Authorities say a Pakistani Air Force plane has crashed during a routine training mission in an open area near the northwestern city of Mardan, killing both pilots.

“A board of inquiry has been constituted by Air Headquarters to ascertain the cause of the accident,” says ISPR.