Helicopter escorting Musharraf crashes, four dead
A helicopter escorting President Pervez Musharraf crashed on Monday on its way to a ceremony in Pakistani Kashmir, killing four troops and wounding his spokesman, officials said.
By Agencies |
MUZAFFARABAD: A helicopter escorting President Pervez Musharraf crashed on Monday on its way to a ceremony in Pakistani Kashmir, killing four troops and wounding his spokesman, officials said.
Musharraf himself was safe and his own chopper landed in Muzaffarabad, where he was leading a ceremony for the 73,000 people killed in the October 8, 2005 earthquake, they said.
Musharraf himself was safe and his own chopper landed in Muzaffarabad, where he was leading a ceremony for the 73,000 people killed in the October 8, 2005 earthquake, they said.
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"The chopper was in the party going with the president when a technical fault developed, causing it to crash land and catch fire," chief military spokesman Major General Waheed Arshad told media.
"Four troops were killed. Major General retired Rashid Qureshi was also injured but he is out of danger," said Arshad, referring to Musharraf's official spokesman.
Another three people were injured including two security officials while the pilot of the Russian-built Mi-17 chopper belonging to the Pakistani military was safe.
"The president himself has reached his destination. The helicopter that crashed was behind the president's," Arshad added.
Rescue teams had reached the area and cordoned off the crash site, which is in the Jhelum Valley some 20 kilometres (12 miles) from Muzaffarabad.
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Musharraf was due to make a speech hailing Pakistan's recovery efforts -- led by the military -- after the giant 7.6-magnitude quake two years ago, which also left 2.5 million people homeless. Several helicopters involved in the massive rescue operation following the disaster have crashed in the mountainous terrain of Kashmir.
In March 2006 a Red Cross chopper helicopter crashed while ferrying food to earthquake survivors, injuring the two South African crew members.
Six Pakistani soldiers were killed when another Mi-17 crashed days after the quake.
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