The Taliban in Pakistan has claimed responsibility for the helicopter crash in which the Norway and Philippines ambassadors were killed.
The Pakistani MI-17 helicopter crashed today in Naltar in Pakistan’s mountainous region of Gilgit-Baltistan.
Pakistani Army spokesperson Asim Bajwa revealed that four foreign passengers died, including Domingo D Lucenario, the Philippine ambassador, and Norwegian envoy Leif H Larsen.
The wives of the Malaysian and Indonesian envoys were also killed, while the Polish and Dutch ambassadors were among the injured, Bajwa said.
The two pilots of the MI-17 transport helicopter were also killed in the crash. The foreign dignitaries were being ferried to the inauguration of a project in North West Pakistan, that was to be presided over by Nawaz Sharif.
The Tehreek-e-Taliban has claimed responsibility for the crash. The claim however cannot be independently verified at this time.
The helicopter was shot down by an anti-aircraft missile, killing pilots and many foreign ambassadors.
– Muhammad Khorasani, Spokesperson, Pakistan Taliban
NDTV reports that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was travelling to the mountainous northern region of Gilgit on a separate aircraft to launch two projects when the accident happened. He returned to Islamabad, his office said.
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