Four Pakistani soldiers killed as military helicopter crashes
IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency
Islamabad, June 21, IRNA
Pakistan-Helicopter-Crash
Four Pakistani soldiers were killed when an army helicopter crashed in the restive tribal region early Wednesday, a government official said.
Soldiers and paramilitary militiamen were on board of the helicopter when it came down in a dam at 7:30 a.m., some 10 kilometers west of Bannu, a major city at the edge of the restive North Waziristan tribal region, District Police Officer Muhammad Iqbal Khattak said.
Khattak said that the army divers pulled all the bodies from the dam water after hours of hectic efforts.
Three soldiers were rescued as the crash took place.
Correspondents said that the helicopter was on its way to North Waziristan tribal region, where army is hunting al-Qaeda suspects and its local supporters.
An army statement said that the Pakistan Army Aviation helicopter, Bell-412, which was on a routine flight went into Barani dam, 10 kilometers west of Bannu in North West Frontier Province, apparently crashing due to technical fault, early morning on Wednesday.
An investigation has been ordered to ascertain the cause of the crash, the statement said.
2020/235/2322/1412
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