A Pakistani plane crashed near Abbottabad in northern Pakistan on Wednesday with 48 people on board including one of the country's famous pop stars. According to reports, it is unlikely that there are survivors of the accident.
Flight PK 661 was heading to Islamabad from Chitral. Deputy inspector general of police in Abbottabad District Saeed Wazir said that according to witnesses, smoke and fire are billowing from the debris and no one can go near it. It is said that all passengers are burned.
As of this writing, the cause of the crash is not yet known. New York Times reported that according to the Civil Aviation Authority, the plane lost radio contact with air traffic controllers in Islamabad shortly before the crash.
"All of the bodies are burned beyond recognition. The debris is scattered," Taj Muhammad Khan, a government official based in the Havelian region, told Reuters. He added that witnesses said the aircraft crashed into the mountainous area before hitting the ground.
Villagers are helping to retrieve the bodies despite the long distance they need to walk to get to the site of the crash. They also revealed that the plane was already on fire before it crashed on the ground.
According to GeoNews, the ATR-42 turboprop aircraft had engine problems and is already 10 years old. It was also involved in an accident back in 2009. But this isn't confirmed as the cause of the crash.
Pakistani International Airlines, the national carrier, confirmed that there were 42 passengers including two children, five crew members and one ground engineer. Pakistani pop star and actor Junaid Jamshed was among those who were on board the plane and perished during the crash.
Jamshed was famous as the lead singer of the Vital Signs rock group in 1980s and 1990s. He later launched a solo career with many chart-topping albums and hits. He retired from his career in 2001 and devoted his time for Islam.
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