ISLAMABAD:
Envoys of the Philippines and Norway and the wives of the Malaysian and Indonesian ambassadors were among seven persons killed when a Pakistani military helicopter today crashed in the PoK as the Taliban claimed responsibility for the downing of the chopper and said premier Nawaz Sharif was their target.
Pakistan Army, however, ruled out the possibility of any terrorist or subversive activity in the crash in Pakistan- occupied Kashmir’s Gilgit-Baltistan in the north and said the chopper crashed due to a technical fault while landing.
Leif H Larsen, the Norwegian envoy, and Domingo D Lucenario Jr of the Philippines were killed along with the wives of the Malaysian and Indonesian ambassadors, besides two army pilots and a Pakistani crew member in the helicopter that caught fire as it crashed into a school.
Six Pakistanis and 11 foreigners were on board the Mi-17 helicopter that was making an emergency landing when it crashed in Naltar valley, setting the school building ablaze, according to initial reports.
“Update Naltar:7 Fatalities.Foreigners-4(Ambs Norway,Philipine,wife of Amb Indonesia,Malaysia).Pakistani-3; two pilots,one crew member-6,” military spokesman Major General Asim Saleem Bajwa tweeted.
Polish ambassador Andrzej Ananiczolish and Dutch ambassador Marcel de Vink were also injured. The army pilots were identified as Major Altamash and Major Faisal. (AGENCIES)
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