Pakistan International Airlines flight PK-661 crashes into mountain and explodes

A Pakistani aircraft with 47 folks on board has crashed, with one of many nation's greatest recognized musicians among the many lifeless.

The Pakistan Worldwide Airways ATR-42 plane vanished after taking off from the Northern Chitral area, the airline has acknowledged.

Pakistani pop star, actor and TV presenter Junaid Jamshed was amongst those that perished when the aircraft crashed.

It is usually believed two youngsters have been among the many casualties. 

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Greater than 40 individuals are feared lifeless after the aircraft crashed on a flight to Islamabad

Killed: Former pop star Junaid Jamshed, who had 2.eight million Fb followers, has been named among the many world's 500 most influential Muslims

Up to now 21 our bodies have been recovered from the location of the crash, AFP studies, with native legislator Sardar Aurangzeb Nalota saying there may be 'no probability' anybody survived.

The nationwide service confirmed in an announcement that Flight PK-661, from the town of Chitral to Islamabad, had misplaced contact with air visitors controllers. 

It's understood mayday name had been made shortly earlier than the aircraft disappeared. 

Officers have mentioned it is extremely unlikely that there can be survivors from the crash. 

Taj Muhammad Khan, a authorities official based mostly within the Havelian area, advised Reuters: 'All the our bodies are burned past recognition. The particles is scattered.'

The crash occurred close to Havelian within the north of Pakistan because the Islamabad-bound aircraft misplaced contact with floor management

Police official Ilyas Abbasi advised AFP that villagers had been retrieving physique elements from the wreckage.

He mentioned: 'The aircraft has crashed in a far-flung village within the mountains. One has to journey for greater than 4 kilometres on foot to achieve the spot. Villagers on website advised us that the aircraft was first on fireplace and now smoke is rising from the wreckage.'

Reviews in Pakistan counsel the aircraft was beforehand stricken by engine issues.

Secretary Aviation Irfan Ilahi advised reporters in Islamabad, Geo Information studies: 'It's untimely to say something in the intervening time, however we all know that the plane had engine issues.'

The aircraft was round 10 years previous, and had been concerned in an incident in 2009, in accordance with AirLive.  

The airline mentioned the aircraft was an ATR-42 turboprop plane, which misplaced contact en route from Chitral. 

Greater than 40 folks have been killed within the crash after the Islamabad-bound aircraft went down close to Havelian

Footage posted on-line present what's believed to be the crash website after the aircraft went down after shedding contact with air visitors management

He mentioned witnesses had advised him that the plane had crashed into the mountainous space, and was on fireplace earlier than it hit the bottom.

It's believed that there have been 31 males, 9 girls and two youngsters on board the flight when it crashed.

Junaid Jamshed, a Pakistani pop star turned evangelical Muslim cleric, was on board, an airline official confirmed to Reuters.

Junaid Jamshed, a Pakistani pop star turned evangelical Muslim cleric, was on board the flight

Osama Warraich, Deputy Commissioner of Chitral, was amongst these on board the aircraft when it crashed

Jamshed, who had 2.eight million Fb followers, has been named among the many world's 500 most influential Muslims. 

Osama Warraich, Deputy Commissioner of Chitral, was additionally on board the flight, the airline has confirmed. 

Airline spokesman Danyal Gilani mentioned 37 of these on board have been passengers.

Crowds gathered on the website of the tragedy after the aircraft crashed. Consultants imagine there may be little probability of discovering survivors

Smoke was seen rising from the location after Pakistan Worldwide Airways ATR-42 plane crashed

The plane was carrying 'round 40 folks', the airline mentioned in an announcement, however the civil aviation authority has mentioned 47 folks have been on board.

A passenger manifest reveals 42 names. 

It isn't but clear what number of casualties there have been. The airline mentioned it has mobilised its emergency response centre.

Laiq Shah, a senior police official within the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, mentioned the aircraft crashed within the province's Havelian space.

A Pakistan Worldwide Airways ATR-42 plane, just like the one which crashed

'Rescue groups are reaching the scene of the crash, after which we are going to know extra,' Civil Aviation Authority spokesman Pervez George advised Reuters. 

There have been no speedy particulars on casualties, however Pakistan's inside ministry has dispatched a staff with specialists on figuring out our bodies by DNA exams.

State-run Pakistan Tv confirmed an enormous fireplace rising from the location of the crash. 

An airport safety officer directs a motorcyclist on the entrance to the Benazir Bhutto Worldwide Airport in Islamabad, the place the aircraft was sure for

Pakistani media and residents collect at Benazir Bhutto Worldwide Airport after the crash

Villagers have been seen standing close to the location. 

Geo Information, citing civil aviation sources, mentioned the aircraft misplaced contact with civil aviation authority at round four.30pm native time.  

A neighborhood police official, Khursheed Tanoli, advised state-run Pakistan Tv that the aircraft went down in a village within the northwest and that rescuers try to achieve the location of the crash, AP studies.  

Smoke was seen coming from the crash website, Pakistan Views studies. It mentioned the aircraft took off at round 3pm, and misplaced contact with air visitors management 90 minutes later.

Jamshed rocketed to fame in Pakistan within the 1980s and 1990s because the singer for the Important Indicators rock group, and later launched a solo profession, with a string of chart-topping albums and hits.

His identify appeared on a passenger manifest for Pakistan Worldwide Airways' (PIA) flight PK661, which crashed close to the northern city of Havelian. His presence on board was confirmed by Sohail Ahmed, a PIA official in Chitral.

Jamshed retired from music in 2001 and introduced that he was devoting his life to Islam, becoming a member of the conservative Tableeghi Jamaat spiritual organisation. 

The Pakistan Worldwide Airways carrying 37 passengers plus crew 'disappeared', airline spokesman Danyal Gilani mentioned

MAJOR AIR CRASHES IN PAKISTAN, OR INVOLVING PAKISTANI PLANES 

Could 20, 1965: A Pakistan Worldwide Airways (PIA) Boeing 707 crashes on its inaugural flight whereas trying to land at Cairo airport, killing 124 folks.

August 6, 1970: A PIA Fokker F27 turboprop plane crashes whereas trying to take off from Islamabad in a thunderstorm, killing all 30 folks on board.

December eight, 1972: A PIA Fokker F27 crashes in Rawalpindi, close to Islamabad. All 26 folks on board are killed.

November 26, 1979: A PIA Boeing 707 bringing dwelling Pakistani Hajj pilgrims from Saudi Arabia crashes shortly after take-off from Jeddah airport, killing 156 folks.

October 23, 1986: A PIA Fokker F27 crashes whereas coming in to land within the northwestern metropolis of Peshawar, killing 13 of the 54 folks on board.

August 17, 1988: A US-made Hercules C-130 navy plane crashes close to Pakistan's japanese metropolis of Bahawalpur, killing navy ruler Basic Mohammad Zia ul Haq and 30 others together with Pakistani generals and the US ambassador.

August 25, 1989: A PIA Fokker carrying 54 folks disappears after leaving Gilgit in northern Pakistan. The wreckage is rarely discovered.

September 28, 1992: A PIA Airbus A300 crashes right into a cloud-covered hillside on strategy to the Nepalese capital Kathmandu after the aircraft descended too early, killing 167 folks.

February 19, 2003: An air pressure Fokker F27 crashes in fog-shrouded mountains close to the northwestern metropolis of Kohat, killing air pressure chief Air Chief Marshal Mushaf Ali, his spouse and 15 others.

February 24, 2003: A chartered Cessna 402-B carrying Afghan Mines and Industries Minister Juma Mohammad Mohammadi, 4 Afghan officers, a Chinese language mining government and two Pakistani crew crashes into the Arabian Sea close to the southern metropolis of Karachi.

July 10, 2006: A PIA Fokker F27 sure for Lahore crashes right into a subject and bursts into flames shortly after takeoff from the central metropolis of Multan, killing 41 passengers and 4 crew.

July 28, 2010: An Airblue Airbus 321 operated by the personal airline Airblue flying from Karachi crashes into hills outdoors Islamabad whereas making ready to land, killing all 152 folks on board.

November 5, 2010: A twin-engine aircraft operated by Pakistani constitution JS Air carrying workers from an Italian oil firm crashes shortly after take-off in Karachi, killing all 21 folks on board.

November 28, 2010: Not less than 12 individuals are killed when a Russian-made Ilyushin IL-76 cargo aircraft operated by Georgian airline Sunway crashes in a fireball seconds after taking off from Karachi.

April 20, 2012: A Bhoja Air Airbus 737 from Karachi comes down in unhealthy climate close to Islamabad. Officers say as much as 130 individuals are on board and police say there may be "no probability" of survivors.

Could eight, 2015: A Pakistani navy helicopter crashes, killing eight folks together with the Norwegian, Philippine and Indonesian envoys and the wives of Malaysian and Indonesian envoys, and setting a college constructing ablaze in a distant northern valley of close to Gilgit.

(Supply: AFP) 

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