Close X
Sunday, September 22, 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

There's No Free Lunch For Obama On Thanksgiving Or Any Other Day

There's No Free Lunch For Obama On Thanksgiving Or Any Other Day
WASHINGTON — There's no free lunch — or breakfast or dinner — for President Barack Obama on Thanksgiving day. Or any other day for that matter.

There's No Free Lunch For Obama On Thanksgiving Or Any Other Day

IS stones to death two alleged gay men in Syria

IS stones to death two alleged gay men in Syria
Islamic State (IS) militants stoned to death two young men in Syria's eastern province of Deir al-Zour on charges of having "unlawful" sexual intercourse...

IS stones to death two alleged gay men in Syria

'Polar Sea' Doc Explores Climate Change On TV And With Virtual Reality Tech

'Polar Sea' Doc Explores Climate Change On TV And With Virtual Reality Tech
TORONTO — It's a 10-part TV documentary series, an interactive web doc, an in-depth online magazine and an experiment in the emerging field of virtual reality.

'Polar Sea' Doc Explores Climate Change On TV And With Virtual Reality Tech

Obama's approval rating falls to 39 percent

Obama's approval rating falls to 39 percent
Voters were very divided about the executive action measures he has taken to suspend the deportation of millions of undocumented foreigners....

Obama's approval rating falls to 39 percent

No trace of MH370 debris till now: Search official

No trace of MH370 debris till now: Search official
Over 7,000 sq km of the seafloor has been scoured so far but no debris of the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 has been found, the chief coordinator...

No trace of MH370 debris till now: Search official

US drone strike in Pakistan kills six militants

US drone strike in Pakistan kills six militants
A US drone attack in the North Waziristan tribal district of Pakistan Wednesday killed at least six suspected militants and injured three others....

US drone strike in Pakistan kills six militants