The ambassadors of Norway and the
Philippines are among at least six people killed in a helicopter crash in
northern Pakistan, the army says.
The military helicopter crashed
during an emergency landing in the mountainous Gilgit-Baltistan territory.
The wives of the Indonesian and
Malaysian envoys and two Pakistan Army pilots also died in the crash.
They were travelling to attend the
opening of a tourism project in Gilgit. The cause of the crash is unclear.
'Urgent'
situation
Military spokesman Asim Bajwa
confirmed the deaths of Norwegian envoy Leif Larsen and Domingo Lucenario of
the Philippines in a post on Twitter.He
said five others were injured, including the Polish and Dutch ambassadors.
Eleven foreigners and six Pakistanis
were on board the MI-17 helicopter, he added.
The helicopter reportedly hit a
building belonging to an army school in Gilgit-Baltistan. It is not yet known
whether there are any casualties on the ground.
It was one of three helicopters
ferrying a delegation of foreign diplomats for the inauguration of a chairlift
project built by the air force for tourists.
Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif
was scheduled to inaugurate the facility, but his aircraft turned back from
Gilgit after reports of the crash.
The chairlift project was reportedly
completed more than six months ago, but its inauguration was delayed due to
Prime Minister Sharif's other commitments.
…………..By Faith Gabriella
