Honor guards receive body of PH ambassador killed in Pakistan helicopter crash

Philippine Air Force (PAF) honor guards carry the remains of Philippine Ambassador to Pakistan Domingo Lucenario that arrived at Villamor Air Base in Pasay City on board a Pakistan Air Force aircraft Wednesday morning (May 13, 2015). Lucenario died in a chopper crash in northern Pakistan on May 8. (PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan)

MANILA, Philippines — The body of the Philippine ambassador killed in a helicopter crash in Pakistan last week has arrived in his home country, with honour guards and his weeping family receiving his casket at Manila’s airport.

Ambassador to Pakistan Domingo Lucenario Jr.’s remains were ferried home by a Pakistani military aircraft on Wednesday, accompanied by his wife and son and Pakistan’s minister of commerce. Filipino honour guards carried the flag-draped coffin out of the plane and onto the tarmac.

Lucenario’s two weeping daughters, other relatives, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima and colleagues were at the airport.

Lucenario and several other foreign dignitaries, including Norway’s ambassador, were killed Friday when the helicopter transporting them to a ceremony at a ski resort in northern Pakistan crashed and caught fire as it was landing.