More Than 40 People Feared Dead After Pakistan International Airlines Plane Crashes

A Pakistain International Airlines plane carrying more than 40 passengers crashed into a mountain on Wednesday.

Pakistan International Flight
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Pakistan International Flight

A Pakistan International Airlines flight crashed into a mountain while en route from Chital to Islamabad on Wednesday, Reuters reports. More than 40 people, including passengers and crew were reportedly onboard the flight, and while the wreckage was found and 21 bodies were recovered, Reuters reports that it is unlikely there will be any survivors of the crash. 

According to Reuters, Pakistan International Airlines said the plane crashed at 4:42 p.m. local time about 77 miles north of Islamabad in Havelian, Pakistan. Taj Muhammad Khan, a government official in Havelian, told Reuters, "All of the bodies are burned beyond recognition. The debris is scattered." Reuters reports that the plane lost Civil Aviation Authority around 4:30 p.m. local time. 

Reuters reports that Pakistani media circulated photos of the crashed plane in flames, and Khan clarified that the plane did not catch fire until after it crashed. "The aircraft has crashed in a mountainous area, and before it hit the ground it was on fire," he said.

It is still too early to determine the exact cause of the flight's crash, but Reuters reports that Pakistani Aviation Secretary Irfan Elahi told the press that the plane experienced engine problems before the crash. 

Reports surrounding the number of people onboard the plane are conflicting, but no count puts the number of passengers and crew below 40. Pakistan International Airlines has said there were 48 people onboard the plane, but an airline official in Chitral, Sohail Ahmed, said there were 41 and the CAA has said there were 47.

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