ISLAMABAD (SW): At least seven people, including two foreign ambassadors have lost lives following a helicopter crash in Pakistan’s northern mountainous region of Gilgit, Pakistan Army said on Friday.
The Ambassadors of Philippines (H.E. Domingo D. Lucenario Jr) and Norway (H.E. Leif Larsen) and the wives of Malaysian and Indonesian Ambassadors were among at least seven people killed when a MI-17 helicopter crashed in Naltar Valley, Gilgit.
There have been unverified reports about Taliban claiming responsibility but the Inter Services Public Relations said that technical problem caused the crash.
Major Gen. Asim Bajwa, the Director General of the ISPR has said two pilots and a crew member too lost lives. Many other diplomats including the Polish, Dutch, Romanian, Lebanese Ambassadors and High Commissioners of Malaysia and Indonesia are reported injured. The wife of the Polish Ambassador is also injured.
The foreign diplomats were scheduled to attend the inauguration of a chairlift project for tourists in the Gilgit region.
According to the ISPR one MI-17 out of three carrying visitors had crash landed in Naltar Valley. There were 11 foreigners and six Pakistani passengers on board.
Defense Minister Khawaja Asif said initial reports pointed towards technical failure being the result of the crash. Defence Minister Asif stressed that there was no indication that the accident was caused by any reason other than technical failure.
The Foreign Office said 30 Ambassadors and their wives had been taken on a C-130 to Gilgit. The diplomats were being taken to the Naltar Valley in the MI-17 helicopters. The Foreign Office in Islamabad has informed the respective governments about the tragic incident.
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