Close X
Friday, September 20, 2024
ADVT 
International

Norway, Philippines Envoys Among Seven Dead In Pakistan Chopper Crash

Darpan News Desk IANS, 08 May, 2015 01:28 PM
  • Norway, Philippines Envoys Among Seven Dead In Pakistan Chopper Crash
The ambassadors of the Philippines and Norway were among seven people killed on Friday in a chopper crash in Pakistan's Naltar valley near Gilgit.
 
Even as the outlawed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claimed the crash was caused by an attack it carried out, the army said the chopper "developed technical fault" while landing, media reports said. 
 
In an update on Twitter, Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Major General Asim Bajwa said the dead included four foreigners -- Ambassadors Domingo D. Lucinerio Jr. of the Philippines and Leif Larsen of Norway and the wives of the Malaysian and Indonesian ambassadors -- and three Pakistanis -- two pilots and one crew member.
 
He said that according to initial information, two helicopters belonging to the Pakistan Army landed safely "while the third developed technical fault while landing", which caused the accident.
 
He ruled out the possibility of any terrorist or subversive activity, according to Dawn online.
 
The Pakistan Army helicopter crash-landed on a school, the report said, adding that Dutch Ambassador Marcel de Vink and Polish Ambassador Andrzej Ananicz were injured in the incident.
 
Earlier, in a series of tweets, Bajwa said that six Pakistanis and 11 foreigners were on board the MI-17 helicopter.
 
Three helicopters were carrying a delegation of foreign diplomats and their wives and aides to Gilgit-Baltistan, where they were scheduled to meet Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. 
 
"It was a diplomatic trip with members of 37 countries in total," said a passenger in one of the helicopters, who requested anonymity, adding that the school caught fire after the chopper crashed on it.
 
Expressing grief over the death of the envoys, Sharif has announced a one-day mourning, Associated Press of Pakistan reported. He was scheduled to visit Gilgit on Friday for the inauguration of two projects.
 
Shortly after the incident, the injured were taken to a military hospital in Gilgit, officials said.
 
A board of inquiry has been constituted to investigate the cause of the crash.

MORE International ARTICLES

Veteran Newsman Bob Simon Dies In Road Accident

Veteran Newsman Bob Simon Dies In Road Accident
CBS News correspondent Bob Simon, who survived war zones and a spell in captivity in Iraq, died in a traffic accident in New York. He was 73.

Veteran Newsman Bob Simon Dies In Road Accident

Indian Man, Deepak Dhankar, Charged With Deceiving Woman Into Having Sexual Relations In Australia

Indian Man, Deepak Dhankar, Charged With Deceiving Woman Into Having Sexual Relations In Australia
Deepak Dhankar, a man of Indian descent and of average build, deceived the woman into believing that he was a muscular, blond-haired Caucasian man named "Jamie" while chatting on dating website Oasis, the Victoria County Court in Melbourne 

Indian Man, Deepak Dhankar, Charged With Deceiving Woman Into Having Sexual Relations In Australia

Punjab BJP Minister Anil Joshi Blames Akali Colleague For Attack On Brother

Punjab BJP Minister Anil Joshi Blames Akali Colleague For Attack On Brother
Medical Education minister Anil Joshi, who is from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), told the media here that his brother was attacked and fired upon by some Akali Dal councillors in Tarn Taran town, 250 km from here.

Punjab BJP Minister Anil Joshi Blames Akali Colleague For Attack On Brother

Three Young Muslims Shot Dead Near College Campus In North Carolina

Three Young Muslims Shot Dead Near College Campus In North Carolina
The victims were identified as Deah Barakat, 23, his wife, Yusor Mohammad Abu Salha, 21 and her sister, Razan Mohammad Abu Salha, 19, who shared an apartment.

Three Young Muslims Shot Dead Near College Campus In North Carolina

As Common As It Gets: Designers Okay Arvind Kejriwal's Style

As Common As It Gets: Designers Okay Arvind Kejriwal's Style
His "sloppy pants", loose untucked shirts and casual footwear may not make a hip fashion statement, but AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal, who will take oath as Delhi chief minister for the second time on Saturday after another stunning electoral victory

As Common As It Gets: Designers Okay Arvind Kejriwal's Style

Longtime Obama Aide David Axelrod Says Obama Falsely Told Public He Opposed Gay Marriage

Longtime Obama Aide David Axelrod Says Obama Falsely Told Public He Opposed Gay Marriage
WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama feigned opposition to gay marriage for most of his political career, compromising his true beliefs out of concern it could hurt him with voters, Obama's longtime political adviser disclosed in a new book.

Longtime Obama Aide David Axelrod Says Obama Falsely Told Public He Opposed Gay Marriage