In The News: Pakistan Plane Crashes With 47 Passengers, All Feared ...

A Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) carrying 47 people crashed on Wednesday, on a domestic flight from the mountainous northern city of Chitral to Islamabad, killing all persons on board.

The military said 40 bodies had been recovered and rescue efforts involved about 500 soldiers, doctors and paramedics. The bodies were shifted to the Ayub Medical Center in nearby Abbottabad, about 20 km away.

The wreckage of a plane is seen as Pakistani army and emergency services begin rescue operation (still frame taken from video) [Photo Source]

The passenger list of the Pakistan International Airlines flight PK-661 includes famous pop star-turned- Islamic-preacher Junaid Jamshed and his wife’s names among the 47. Jamshed’s brother reportedly confirmed that he was on board the flight, along with his wife, Ayesha Junaid.

Before joining the Tablighi Jamaat, Jamshed was one of Pakistan’s best loved pop singers, famous for hits in the 1980s such as “Dil Dil Pakistan”. The patriotic lyrics of the song made it so popular that it was hailed as an unofficial national anthem of Pakistan.

Taj Muhammad Khan, a government official based in Havelian, told Reuters

All of the bodies are burned beyond recognition. The debris are scattered

In a late night statement, PIA said the plane was carrying 47 people, including five crew members and 42 passengers.The airline said two Austrian citizens and one Chinese citizen, all men, had been on board. The flight manifest showed three people on board with foreign names. The Austrian foreign minister's spokesman later confirmed two Austrians had been killed in the crash.

PIA Chairman Azam Saigol while confirming there were no survivors of the tragic plane crash said the aircraft was 'fit to fly' and that the PIA has 11 ATR aircrafts in its fleet and they all have been 'reliable'.

Sources for the news and further reading

If you like my work, please up-vote and read more at @norbu.
You may also click the down-arrow next to my name (before my reputation score below) to follow me. Or you may just re-steem to share the love! 😊

In The News: Pakistan Plane Crashes With 47 Passengers, All Feared Dead