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Pakistan Press International

Pakistan Press International (PPI), the country's independent news agency, was established in 1956. The agency enjoys the respect of national and international media and has distinguished itself as an instrument of credible, objective, and ethical journalism.

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FM-(India was not fully prepared for talks: Qureshi)
(Jamal Dawoodpoto/PPI Photo).

 Passenger plane crashes in Islamabad; 152 on board

Islamabad, July 28 PPI:
At least 10 people were died when a passenger plane, carrying 152 passengers was destroyed having collided with Margalla hills near Pir Sohawa, a mountainous range
behind Shah Faisal Mosque, early morning on Wednesday. Helicopters are taking the dead bodies to PIMS hospitals Islamabad.

Rescuers were trying to reach the scene of the domestic Airblue plane crash as rain pelted the green Margalla Hills, but the roads were difficult to navigate. There was no immediate word on survivors. At least 10 bodies have been recovered from the rubble.

Some reports indicate that the plane exploded in the air due to a problem in its fuel tank. Families of victims have been requested to contact the Crisis Management Cell at 051-9211223-4. There are reports of several casualties, but the exact death toll is still unknown. The DIG Operations has been asked to supervise rescue efforts.

The rescue teams have been dispatched to the site of the incident. Helicopters seen reaching the area. An emergency has been imposed in all hospitals of Islamabad and Rawalpindi.

Airport authorities said the Air Blue flight ED-202 took off at 7:50am from Karachi to Islamabad but crashed due to uneven weather a few minutes before landing after loosing connection with control tower.

The airplane lost contact with the control tower of Islamabad airport just before the crash. It is worth mentioning that lack of visibility due to rainy weather might have caused the incident.

The exact cause of the Airblue crash was not immediately clear, said Pervez George, a civil aviation official. He said the plane was flying from Karachi to Islamabad. "The plane was about to land at the Islamabad airport when it lost contact with the control tower, and later we learned that the plane had crashed," George said. Reportedly what appeared to be wreckage of the plane as a helicopter hovered above the heavily forested hills to assess the situation. Fire was visible and smoke was blowing up from the scene. Airblue could not immediately be reached for comment.

Officials first thought it was a small plane, but police official Mohammed Saeed said later Wednesday morning that "it seems that it is a bigger tragedy." Eyewitnesses said people noticed airbus flying at very low altitude near Daman-e-Koh this morning and have crashed due to rough weather.

A Civil Aviation Authority official said 146 passengers were on the flight along with six crew members.

A heavy fog envelops the heavily forested Margalla Hills this morning and it has been raining for several hours. Army Helicopters are seen hovering the area for relief acticvities.

The relatives and friends of the onboard passengers reached the spot to know whereabouts of their kins.

It is raining in Islamabad and many flights have been grounded due to bad weather in eastern city of Lahore. The well guarded hills surrounds northeast of the capital city. Some parts of it are fitted with anti-aircraft guns and many troop checkpoints are located on the hills.

President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani expressed grief over this tragic incident.

Ends-PPI