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Philippines, Malaysian officials visit Pakistan over helicopter crash-landing

Xinhua, May 9, 2015 Adjust font size:

Officials from countries, which lost their ambassadors and wives of ambassadors in a military helicopter crash-landing in north Pakistan, were in Islamabad on Saturday to discuss the incident and receive their bodies.

The Russian-made MI-17 helicopter, carrying diplomats and their wives, crash-landed near the scenic Gilgit-Baltistan area on Friday, killing seven people, including the ambassadors of Norway and the Philippines and wives of the ambassadors of Malaysia and Indonesia. Both pilots and a technician of the helicopter were also killed.

A delegation from the Philippines headed by Under Secretary of Philippines Foreign Ministry, including the spouse and son of the late ambassador and a team from Malaysia consisting of senior officials and daughter of the Malaysian ambassador were scheduled to arrive in Islamabad late Saturday, according to the Foreign Ministry.

The widow of the Norwegian Ambassador and a delegation from Indonesia is also expected to arrive later on Saturday, the Ministry's spokesman said in a statement.

"Final transportation of the mortal remains to the respective countries of the deceased would be finalized after consultation with the families and officials of the concerned embassies and after completion of all formalities," the statement said.

The bodies of the Ambassadors of Norway and Philippines and the wives of the Ambassadors of Malaysia and Indonesia were air-lifted from Naltar valley, where the helicopter came down, to Rawalpindi.

The injured Ambassadors of Indonesia, the Netherlands, Malaysia and Poland were transported back by a C-310 flight. The rest of the group of diplomats, who had gone to Gilgit, also returned safely to Rawalpindi Saturday. Endi