>
At least eight people, including the Ambassadors of Philippines, H.E. Domingo D. Lucenario Jr and Norway, H.E. Leif Larsen, were killed when a MI-17 helicopter crashed in Naltar Valley, Gilgit, Pakistan on Friday.
According to the DG of the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR), Major General Asim Saleem Bajwa, the wives of the Malaysian and Indonesian Ambassadors were also killed in the crash along with a local staff member.
Two pilots and a chief engineer also died in the crash. The pilots were identified as Major Altamish and Major Faisal.
The injured include the Polish, Dutch, Romanian, Lebanese Ambassadors and High Commissioners of Malaysia and Indonesia. 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 Gilgit.
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.
Security sources said initial investigations had revealed that the crash was caused by a failure in the tail rotor of the helicopter. The helicopter lost control and the hit the roof of a local school in the area. Following the crash the helicopter caught fire.