Pakistan Lost First Woman Fighter Jet Pilot
Rabu, 25 November 2015 - 17:50 WIB
Pakistan Lost First Woman Fighter Jet Pilot
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KARACHI - The first Pakistani female fighter pilot to die on operational service has been laid to rest after a funeral at a Karachi air force base. Flying Officer Marium Mukhtiar was on a routine training mission on Tuesday when her plane met with an "in-flight emergency" over Mianwali district in Punjab province, the Pakistan air force said.
She and co-pilot ejected, but Mukhtiar died from her injuries in hospital. Her body was taken to Karachi where the ceremony was held later that day.
Flying Officer Mukhtiar, who was 24, spoke to BBC News last year of her journey into a traditionally male-dominated world. She was among about 20 female fighter pilots in the Pakistan Air Force (PAF), which only began inducting women in combat roles in 2006. It was not immediately clear why her aircraft crashed. The male pilot was not badly injured and is recovering in hospital. Pakistani Air Force officials were present as well as family members for the funeral prayers, local media said.
"She was indeed a role model for women and pride of Pakistan," said Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Shareef.
"Very sad to hear about the crash that killed Pakistan's female fighter pilot Mariam #Pakistan," said Sherry Rehman, vice president, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) on Twitter.
Pakistan's military has suffered a series of air disasters in recent months. In September a trainer jet crashed near Mastung in Balochistan province. The pilot ejected to safety. A military helicopter crash in May killed seven people, including the ambassadors of Norway and the Philippines. Another military helicopter crashed near Mansehra district in August, killing 12 people.
She and co-pilot ejected, but Mukhtiar died from her injuries in hospital. Her body was taken to Karachi where the ceremony was held later that day.
Flying Officer Mukhtiar, who was 24, spoke to BBC News last year of her journey into a traditionally male-dominated world. She was among about 20 female fighter pilots in the Pakistan Air Force (PAF), which only began inducting women in combat roles in 2006. It was not immediately clear why her aircraft crashed. The male pilot was not badly injured and is recovering in hospital. Pakistani Air Force officials were present as well as family members for the funeral prayers, local media said.
"She was indeed a role model for women and pride of Pakistan," said Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Shareef.
"Very sad to hear about the crash that killed Pakistan's female fighter pilot Mariam #Pakistan," said Sherry Rehman, vice president, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) on Twitter.
Pakistan's military has suffered a series of air disasters in recent months. In September a trainer jet crashed near Mastung in Balochistan province. The pilot ejected to safety. A military helicopter crash in May killed seven people, including the ambassadors of Norway and the Philippines. Another military helicopter crashed near Mansehra district in August, killing 12 people.
(rnz)
