Naltar tragedy: As nation mourns, survivors speak of horror

Bodies of victims flown to a sombre ceremony at Nur Khan airbase

GILGIT:

A nationwide day of mourning was observed on Saturday for the victims of the Naltar tragedy as the bodies were flown into Nur Khan airbase in Rawalpindi and survivors spoke of the horror in the scenic valley of Gilgit-Baltistan region.

Norwegian Ambassador Leif H Larsen, Philippines Ambassador Domingo D Lucenario Jr, wives of the Malaysian and Indonesian ambassadors and two pilots – Major Faisal and Major Altamash – as well as a crew member were killed when an Mi-17 helicopter of the Pakistan Army went down shortly before landing in Naltar valley on Friday.

Three other envoys – Poland’s Ambassador Andrzej Ananiczolish, Dutch Ambassador Marcel de Vink and the Indonesian ambassador – were also injured in the incident. According to an official, the Pakistan Army on Saturday airlifted the casualties to Rawalpindi in helicopters and a C-130 aircraft.



A somber ceremony was organised at the Nur Khan airbase, where Pakistani servicemen formed a guard of honour to receive the coffins, draped in national flags and bedecked with wreaths, as soldiers carried them from the aircraft that brought them from Gilgit. Top civil and military officials, including army chief General Raheel Sharif, as well as staff of diplomatic missions of Norway, Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia, attended the ceremony which was broadcast live on television.

According to Foreign Office spokesperson Qazi Khalilullah, Ambassador of the Netherlands Marcel De Vink, who suffered major burn injuries, will be evacuated Monday morning for specialised treatment in his country.

Khalilullah said the widow of the late Norwegian ambassador, Leif H Larsen, is returning from Oslo to Pakistan. “A Norwegian forensic team will also arrive today (Sunday) to assist in the DNA sampling. They will work with experts at the CMH Rawalpindi,” he said.

Arrangements are under way to repatriate the bodies, the prime minister’s office said in a statement. Top government officials would accompany the bodies to their countries, “The ministers will take the bodies on special flights as a gesture of respect and to show the importance Pakistan attaches [to] its relations with these countries,” it added.

Diplomats speak of crash

Three ambassadors who survived the deadly crash have described the terrifying moment when the helicopter span out of control before slamming into the ground and catching fire. Testimonies of the diplomats on board from Malaysia, Argentina and the Netherlands released by the PAF on Saturday also unequivocally bolstered government and eyewitness statements that the disaster was an accident rather than an act of terrorism.

Malaysia’s envoy – who was himself injured in the crash – described how the journey had gone to plan until they were due to land at their destination in the northern Gilgit-Baltistan region.

“After arriving at Gilgit airport everything went well except for the last few minutes, when the helicopter went into a spiral, round and round and round, and there it hit the ground,” Hasrul Sani Mujtabar said.

“I saw the pilot was killed, some others died instantly and I was in middle. Then a few managed to escape but the fire was very strong, with smoke quickly filling the helicopter,” he said.

“[Regarding] remarks and rumours that there was a terrorist attack or that there was sabotage, I can say 99.9 per cent that they were not true, that this was a sad accident, a really unfortunate accident, by a technical fault on the plane,” Argentinian Ambassador Rodolfo Martin Saravia told the air force.

Dutch Ambassador Marcel de Vink said he felt ‘extremely lucky’ to be alive after what he had witnessed. He was described as having sustained burns to the leg and face by the foreign ministry.

“I remember that we got into a spin and so thinking I suppose I braced a little bit for impact... afterwards I was actually opening my eyes seeing the smoke and explosions, so I was extremely lucky because it went incredibly fast,” he said.

Pakistan Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry told a press conference on Friday there were 19 people on board the helicopter, of whom 12 were rescued, adding that its black box had been retrieved. The Indonesian ambassador suffered 75 percent burns and is in a critical condition, Chaudry said.

Funeral of pilots, crew

Funeral prayers of the deceased pilots of the helicopter – Major Altamash and Major Faisal – and crew chief Naib Subedar Zakir were offered at Chaklala. Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Rashad Mahmood and the three services chiefs attended the funeral.

According to the ISPR, burial of the martyrs will take place in their native towns after DNA tests. Earlier, funeral prayers of the deceased officials were also offered in Gilgit.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 10^th, 2015.