By IANS
Islamabad : Four soldiers aboard a Pakistan Army chopper assigned to President Pervez Musharraf’s security were killed and six wounded Monday when the helicopter crashed during a visit to Pakistani Kashmir, an army spokesman said.
However, according to unofficial sources the number of dead soldiers was six, Online news agency said.
President’s spokesman and Press Secretary Maj. Gen. (retd) Rashid Qureshi was among those seriously injured. He was immediately shifted to Rawalpindi hospital.
Musharraf was on a visit to quake hit areas of Pakistani Kashmir to mark the second anniversary of the Oct 8, 2005 earthquake when the MI-17 helicopter behind his chopper suddenly crashed near Garhi Doppata at Majmohi on Srinagar road, 20 km from Muzaffarabad.
According to eyewitnesses the chopper carrying 10 soldiers started turning sharply. The pilot made an attempt at emergency landing. But the chopper suddenly caught fire.
“It was a technical fault, that’s why it went down,” army spokesman Major General Waheed Arshad said, ruling out a militant attack.
He also said that the president had reached his destination safely. An investigation into the incident has been launched.