Islamabad, Jun 1 (IANS): Five people, including a top officer of paramilitary Punjab Rangers, were killed as a helicopter crashed into the Indus river in central Pakistan Wednesday morning, a media report said.

Those killed included the director general of paramilitary Punjab Rangers, Major General Muhammad Nawaz and his son, two pilots and one ranger, Xinhua quoted the report as saying.

Earlier reports said, three people on board were feared dead while two pilots survived by swimming to the bank of the river.

The accident took place around 10.30 a.m. local time shortly after the helicopter took off from Dera Ghazi Khan city, near the Indus river in central Pakistan.

The chopper crashed into the river near the town of Layyah while on its way to Peshawar.

The helicopter caught fire before it plunged into the river, according to witnesses, the media report said.

Local media quoted official sources as saying that the helicopter crashed mainly due to the poor weather in the area.