Diplomats die in copter crash

A PAKISTANI military helicopter crashed into a school in the country’s north yesterday, killing six people, including the Norwegian and Philippine ambassadors.

The crash also set the building ablaze, as officials warned that casualties could rise. The helicopter was one of three carrying a delegation of envoys to inspect projects on a threeday trip to Pakistan’s GilgitBaltistan territory where they were set to meet Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

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, as well as the helicopter’s two pilots, said official tweets by the army.

Polish ambassador Andrzej Ananiczolish and Dutch ambassador Marcel de Vink were also injured, the army added.

A South African envoy had also been due to be aboard, but did not board the helicopter.

It was the worst air crash since 2012, when a civilian 737 went down in Islamabad, killing 130 people.

The incident was also reminiscent of the 1988 plane crash, which killed then militaryruler General Zia-ul-Haq as well as the US ambassador at the time, Arnold Raphel.

A senior local administration official warned the situation was “urgent” after the helicopter – one of three carrying the delegation, their aides and members of the press – crashed into the school with children inside.

Sharif “expressed deep grief and sorrow” over the incident according to a statement issued by his office, which added that he had been on his way to the region but his plane returned to Islamabad after hearing the news. — AFP