Russian Embassy in Pakistan confirms death of 2 nationals in helicopter crash

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) - The Russian Embassy in Pakistan confirmed on Tuesday that two Russian citizens were killed in the Sept. 28 helicopter crash in the North Waziristan district of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

"The Russian Embassy in Pakistan regretfully confirms the deaths of two Russian citizens, Nikolai Rybakovich and Samvel Mardoyan, as well as a citizen of Belarus, Sergey Koshelev, who were on board a helicopter that crashed on September 28 in the North Waziristan district of the Pakistani province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa," the diplomatic mission said in a statement on Telegram.

There were 12 passengers and 3 crew members on board the helicopter, and two of them -- the co-pilot and the on-board mechanic -- were Russian citizens. As a result of the crash, six people were killed and nine others injured.