ForMin Aurescu: Romania's Ambassador to Pakistan is back in Islamabad and doing fine

Foreign Affairs Minister Bogdan Aurescu said that Romania's Ambassador to Pakistan, who was traveling in a Pakistani army helicopter that crashed on Friday in the north of the country, has returned to Islamabad on Saturday.

Photo credit: (c) Sunil Sharma / XINHUA PHOTO

"He is at home, resting, because this was a very tough moment he's been through. I'm glad to be able to tell you that he returned to Islamabad two hours ago and is doing fine," said Aurescu. There is currently no other information about the cause of the crash, the minister told reporters, after attending Europe Day celebrations organized in the Bucharest Park of Cismigiu.

Romanian Ambassador in Islamabad Emilian Ion was in the helicopter carrying diplomats and their families, which went down on Friday in the mountainous region of Gilgit; later in the day, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Raluca Lunculescu announced that the Romanian diplomat had sustained minor injuries. He was taken to a hospital in the region, but did not require hospitalization, Lunculescu specified.

She also informed that, according to official information referred to the Romanian Foreign Ministry by the Pakistani Air Force spokesman, early data show the helicopter crashed due to technical faults.

"There are no indications at this time that this was a terrorist attack. The investigation is under way," added Lunculescu.

According to information from Islamabad, seven people were killed in the accident: two foreign ambassadors, two ambassador's wives and three Pakistani nationals. AGERPRES