highlights

152 confirmed dead in plane crash in Islamabad

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-07-28 21:23

Rescue workers search the wreckage at the site of the crash of an Airblue passenger plane on the outskirts of Islamabad July 28, 2010. [Agencies]

Earlier Reporting:

At least 40 survivors have been found in a plane crash which took place in the suburbs of the Pakistani capital Islamabad Wednesday morning, according to the officials with the rescue teams.

All the survivors have been given first-aid treatment on the spot and are being shifted to local hospitals in Islamabad, which have all declared emergency following the plane crash.

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So far 20 dead bodies including that of the pilot have been recovered from the crash site, said sources on the site, adding some of the bodies were still on fire when recovered. One of the dead bodies was reportedly identified as Barak or Barkat. No further details about the killed and survivors were available.

No Chinese or foreigners have been found on the passenger name list released shortly after the plane crash, sources told Xinhua after talking on the telephone to the Airblue airliner which the crashed plane belonged to.

The rescue work is still underway.

The tragedy took place at about 10:00 am local time when an airbus flight of a Pakistani private airliner Airblue, which reportedly carried 152 people including six crew members, crashed behind the mountains of Margalla Hills lying to the northeast of the capital.

Among the people aboard the plane were 20 women and five children, said the Airblue airliner.

The plane whose flight number is ED-202 took off from the Karachi International Airport at about 7:50 am Wednesday morning. It was on the way from Turkey to Islamabad via Karachi. It was reported that the plane lost the contact with the control tower of the Islamabad airport at about 9:43 am (local time) before the crash.

Shortly after the incident happened, large number of rescue teams have been dispatched to the crash site. A total of seven military helicopters have been mobilized to join the rescue work.

The Pakistani prime minister has ordered the military to conduct an investigation into the accident immediately following the tragedy.

Large crowds of relatives and friends planned to receive their loved ones taking the flight at the Islamabad airport were shocked upon hearing the news and many of them burst into tears.  

So far the reason for the crash is not known yet. The black box of the plane has not been found yet. It could be related to bad weather as it was raining heavily in Islamabad when the plane crashed. Many flights coming into Islamabad have reportedly been canceled due to bad weather.

The possibility of terrorism can not be ruled out as the terrorist groups in Pakistan have repeatedly threatened to blow up airplanes during the last month or so.  

In another development, there were 11 people who missed the plane at the Karachi airport escaped from the tragedy.

A video grab shows a search and rescue team amongst the wreckage of a commercial Pakistani passenger plane in hills near the capital Islamabad, July 28, 2010. [Photo/Agencies]