Helicopter incidents: June 2026 roundup
9 helicopter incidents recorded in June 2026, with 45 fatalities across 6 countries. A devastating month dominated by the Pakistan Mi-17 crash (22 killed) and the Saudi Aramco AW139 disaster (14 killed).
June 2026 was one of the deadliest months in recent helicopter aviation history, with 45 fatalities across 9 recorded incidents in 6 countries. Two catastrophic crashes alone accounted for 36 of those deaths.
The numbers
Major incidents
Pakistan Mi-17 crash (22 killed) - June 10
A Pakistan Army Mil Mi-17 helicopter crashed near Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistan-administered Kashmir, shortly after take-off from Neelum Stadium. The ISPR confirmed the crash was caused by a technical fault. All 22 military personnel on board were killed. It was the deadliest single helicopter crash of 2026 so far and one of the worst in Pakistan's military aviation history.
Saudi Aramco AW139 crash (14 killed) - June 28
A Leonardo AW139 operated by Aloula Aviation, a subsidiary of Saudi Aramco, crashed on approach to Ras Tanura Airport in Saudi Arabia's Eastern Province. Flight tracking data showed a high rate of descent before the aircraft disappeared from radar. All 14 people on board, all Saudi nationals, were killed. Ras Tanura hosts the largest oil refinery in the Middle East.
Rio de Janeiro midair collision (6 killed) - June 14
Two helicopters collided mid-air over Recreio dos Bandeirantes in Rio de Janeiro. A Bell 206B III and a Eurocopter AS350B2 collided, killing all five occupants of the Bell including American musician Oliver Tree, Argentine YouTuber Gaspi, director Lucas Vignale, and music producer Lucas Frota. The AS350 pilot was also killed. The collision ignited a major fire on the ground.
Okehampton Merlin crash (3 killed) - June 3
An AgustaWestland Merlin Mk4 military helicopter crashed near Okehampton in the United Kingdom, killing three people on board. The incident is under investigation.
Other incidents
The month also saw a Bell 214B firefighting helicopter crash into Lake Aoos near Metsovo, Greece during water-scooping operations (both pilots survived), a US Coast Guard MH-60 Jayhawk incident near Sitka, Alaska (minor), a Robinson R44 II incident in Baja California, Mexico, and a Bell 47G-2 crash in Troy, Missouri.
Severity breakdown
June 2026's fatality count of 45 is significantly above the monthly average. The concentration of deaths in military operations (Pakistan) and commercial transport (Saudi Arabia) reflects the elevated risk profile of these mission types compared to civilian flying.
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Data sourced from the RotorAlert incident database. For the full list of incidents, visit the incidents page.