A Pakistani military helicopter crashed into a school in the country’s north Friday, killing six people including the Norwegian and Philippine ambassadors, and setting the building ablaze, the army said as officials warned that casualties could rise.
The helicopter was one of three carrying a delegation of envoys to inspect projects on a three-day trip to Pakistan’s Gilgit-Baltistan territory where they were set to meet with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
Ambassadors Leif H. Larsen of Norway 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, according to official tweets by the army.
Polish Ambassador Andrzej Ananiczolish and Dutch Ambassador Marcel de Vink were also injured, the army added.
TALIBAN CLAIMS RESPONSIBILITY
The Pakistani Taliban later claimed responsibility for downing the military helicopter, saying Prime Minister Sharif was their target.
“The helicopter was shot down by an anti-aircraft missile, killing pilots and many foreign ambassadors,” an Urdu-language statement emailed by their main spokesman Muhammad Khorasani said.
“A special group of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan had prepared a special plan to target Nawaz Sharif during his visit but he survived because he was travelling in another helicopter,” Khorasani added.
Prime Minister 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, not a helicopter, returned to Islamabad after hearing the news.
Manila Bulletin
