No Survivors In Pakistan Plane Crash

All 48 people onboard a Pakistan International Airlines plane were killed when it crashed into a mountain in northern Pakistan on Wednesday.

Flight PK661 from Chitral to Islamabad crashed at 16:42 (4.42pm) local time about 70km (43 miles) north of Islamabad. The airline said there were no survivors.

The plane, an ATR 42-500, was carrying 42 passengers, five crew members and one engineer, according to the airline. Forty-five were Pakistani citizens, two were Austrians and one Chinese.

A Pakistani ex-pop star, now Muslim preacher, Junaid Jamshed and Deputy Commissioner for Chitral District Osama Ahmed Warraich were reported to be on the flight.

Very few of the bodies could be identified visually, with most burned beyond recognition, officials said. Recovery efforts continued into the night to remove body parts.

A government official said that witness reports indicated that the aircraft was on fire before it hit the ground. Other reports suggested the ATR had suffered engine problems immediately prior to the crash.

Pakistan said a full investigation would be carried out.

PIA has suffered a number of safety-related accidents in recent years.