ISLAMABAD: A Punjab government Mi-17 helicopter crash landed on Thursday in Afghanistan’s Logar province where Taliban insurgents took the crew hostage before setting the helicopter on fire.

The helicopter had seven people onboard at the time of the incident, and was on its way for maintenance to Uzbekistan.

Afghanistan’s media, however, reported the helicopter belonged to Pakistan military.

Quoting spokesman for Logar province’s governor, it said that the helicopter crashed in the Mati area of Azra district.

So far media reports

• Punjab government’s Mi-17 helicopter crash lands in Afghanistan’s Logar province
• Taliban sets it on fire; some reports say it caught fire as it crashed
• 7 crew members on board survive crash; Taliban take them hostage
• Foreign Office trying to contact Afghan officials to get more information

There were conflicting reports on how the helicopter caught fire. Some eyewitnesses told local news agencies that the helicopter appeared to have caught fire during landing while some residents said the Taliban set it on fire.

According to media, all seven crew members survived the crash. Six members of the Punjab government and a Russian engineer were on board the helicopter, it added.

Pakistan Foreign Office is trying to contact Afghan officials to get more information on the incident.

The Taliban militant group, however, has so far not commented on the incident.