World | Pakistan
Plane crash in Pakistan kills 152 people on board
Poor weather conditions could have caused plane's engines to stall
- By Naveed Ahmad, Correspondent
- Published: 00:00 July 29, 2010
Islamabad: All passengers and crew on board a Pakistani passenger plane carrying 152 people are believed to have been killed when it crashed near Islamabad on Wednesday, an official said.
Two Americans were among the victims, a US embassy spokesman said.
"There are no survivors. We believe all are dead. We are recovering the remains of the dead bodies from the wreckage," said Imtiaz Elahi, chairman of Islamabad's Capital Development Authority.
Hospitals in Islamabad and Rawalpindi have confirmed that they have yet to receive any survivors.
The Interior Minister, Rehman Malik, had earlier claimed five survivors had been found in the wreckage and taken to Islamabad hospitals.
However, neither Gulf News or any Pakistani news channels have been able to gather names of the survivors.
The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and the Airblue both suspect bad weather as possible cause of the accident.
The plane's captain, Pervez Iqbal Chaudhry had previously retired from flag carrier Pakistan International Airways (PIA) according to source and a former colleague.
He said: "Pervez retired from Pakistan International Airline on December 27, 2008, and was employed again by the private airline despite crossing the age bracket of 60 years."
The Pakistani Meteorological Office told Gulf News that the heavy monsoon rains would continue for another 48 hours, thus posing a serious blow to the rescue and search operations.
So far charred remains and severed body parts have been moved in wooden containers to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, Islamabad.
Do you know anyone who was on the ill-fated plane? Let us know
Pakistan declared a day of national mourning, with Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and the cabinet "expressed grief and sorrow over the tragic incident".
The Airbus 321, belonging to private airliner Airblue, lost contact with the control room of the Islamabad International Airport at 0443 GMT while flying from the southern port city of Karachi.
Ramzan Sajid, the spokesman for the Capital Development Authority, said that rescuers continue to search the wreckage for additional dead and wounded. In a statement, Airblue said that information regarding passengers on the flight may be obtained by calling 111 247 258.
The plane, which was carrying 140 passengers and seven crew members, was circling around Islamabad in heavy monsoon rain and low cloud, when it crashed into the highest mountain range in Islamabad on Wednesday. Five children and two infants were on board, says an Airblue employee.
Airblue, in a statement, expressed "great sadness" over the incident, adding that the flight crashed "during poor weather and thick fog".
"We regret the loss of life and are investigating the exact circumstances of this tragedy. This will be presented as soon as possible," Airblue said. "Our hearts go out to the families and loved ones of the passengers and crew."
Dozens of rescue workers and four Pakistan Army helicopters are now struggling to sift through a field of debris from the crashed A321, which was operated by a private airline, Airblue.
"The Islamabad-bound flight (ED202) did not send an SOS message before crashing against the hilltop," said a source at the airport.
Top government officials and airline sources are ruling out the possibility of a terrorist act and severe weather is being given as the most likely reason for the crash.
Retired Air Commodore Jamal Hussain, an aviation expert, told Gulf News that the airplane "clearly seems falling prey to intense weather and low visibility as the Margalla Hills were covered with low clouds."
"There is no chance of ambulances reaching the debris field, scattered across two kilometres of dense green slopes of Margalla Hills," Ansar Alia, a medical worker for Capital Development Authority, said in Islamabad.
Meanwhile, the charred bodies of those killed have been recovered and brought to the Pakistan's Institute of Medical Science in Islamabad.
An information desk has been set up at the Islamabad Airport.
Deputy Inspector General of Police Bin Yamin said the rescue operation may take many hours to complete as rains and winds are hampering swift rescue operations by the helicopter.
This is eighth passenger crash in Pakistan's history and the first of a private Pakistani airline.
- With input from agencies
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