UN to resume aid flights

2006-01-09 11:10

En-Lai Yeoh

Islamabad - The UN said on Monday it would resume lifesaving aid flights to a quake-hit part of Pakistani Kashmir where its helicopters were mobbed by desperate survivors, but would avoid flying directly to a town where a UN worker was assaulted.

After the incident on Friday, the United Nations temporarily stopped flights to Bana Mula and Leepa Valley, southwest of Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistani-controlled Kashmir.

As many as 50 people boarded two UN flights in a desperate bid to leave the area, which is blanketed in snow.

One UN official was assaulted, as survivors forced their way on board the helicopters demanding airlifts to Muzaffarabad and Abbottabad, another major relief hub. After landing at those destinations, the people fled.

"These were people who wanted to get out of the place, but didn't follow the normal procedures," UN spokesperson Ben Malor said.

Malor said investigations by both the UN and Pakistani authorities had determined the problem was an "isolated incident" and no additional security was required for sorties to the area.

But he said the world body would no longer fly to Bana Mula, and said it would now use the Leepa Valley helicopter base for deliveries there as it was only about a kilometre away.

Flights to Leepa would resume on Tuesday, he said.

The October 8 temblor killed some 87 000 people and left another 3.5 million homeless.

- SAPA