Close X
Wednesday, November 13, 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

Armed man detained near White House

Armed man detained near White House
Secret Service spokesman Ed Donovan said RJ "Renae" Kapheim, 41, of Davenport, Iowa was arrested Wednesday, EFE news agency cited from the New York Times....

Armed man detained near White House

Modi among contenders for Time's Person of the Year

Modi among contenders for Time's Person of the Year
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is in the list of 50 contenders for Time magazine's Person of the Year....

Modi among contenders for Time's Person of the Year

7 dead as epic storm buries western New York state

7 dead as epic storm buries western New York state
At least seven people died as a deadly epic storm dumped nearly six feet of snow on western New York state leaving people stuck in their homes and stranded on the roads....

7 dead as epic storm buries western New York state

India did not offer car to PM Sharif: Pakistani official

India did not offer car to PM Sharif: Pakistani official
 India has not offered any bulletproof car to Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for the upcoming South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) summit...

India did not offer car to PM Sharif: Pakistani official

One arrested after murders of Miss Honduras, sister

One arrested after murders of Miss Honduras, sister
ne person was arrested after the murders of Miss Honduras World 2014 Maria Jose Alvarado and her sister Sofia Trinidad, crimes that has shocked....

One arrested after murders of Miss Honduras, sister

US has 450,000 illegal immigrants from India

US has 450,000 illegal immigrants from India
As President Barack Obama mulls executive action to give relief from deportation to some of the 11.2 million illegal immigrants in the US, a new report said about ....

US has 450,000 illegal immigrants from India