March 11, 2006	Saturday	Safar 10, 1427

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ISLAMABAD, March 10: Relief helicopter of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) crashed due to fault in the propeller, sources told Dawn here on Friday.

The sources quoted the pilot and flight engineer of the helicopter as saying that the propeller had developed some fault which led to the crash.

At the time of the incident, the helicopter was flying some 100 feet above the land and split into two pieces after the crash.

The ICRC called on the technicians of Starlite, a South African Company, to ascertain the actual cause of the incident and they would arrive in Islamabad soon, the sources said.

When contacted, Communication Coordinator of ICRC Layla Berlemont neither accepted nor denied that the helicopter crashed due to fault in the propeller.

She said: “It is too early to say anything about the cause of the incident.”

The cause will be ascertained after the report of technicians, she added.

Meanwhile, two crew members of the Puma helicopter, pilot Michael Church and flight engineer Peter Vanvyk will leave for South Africa on Saturday morning, the sources said.