Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: A Pakistan International Airlines passenger plane flying from Chitral has crashed in Havelian on Wednesday, officials said.

Reports revealed that Junaid Jamshed was on the flight which crashed a while ago.

According Civil Aviation Authority sources, minutes before the crash, the ATR-42 plane with 47 passengers went missing from the radar near Havelian while it was on its way to Islamabad.

Among the total sum of 47 people, including the flight crew members there were 31 men, 9 women and 3 children with no survivors

The plane took off from Chitral around 3:00PM but communication with the control tower was broken around 4:30PM, shortly before it was about to arrive at its destination, Islamabad.

A CAA spokesperson said search and rescue teams for the missing plane have been scrambled and are on their way to the crash site.

CAA sources confirmed a mayday call from the pilot to the control tower shortly before it lost communication with the plane.

Initially a statement from the PIA confirmed that the plane had gone missing, but did not confirm the crash.

“We regret to inform that PIA’s ATR-42 aircraft operating as PK-661, carrying around 40 persons lost its contact with control tower on its way from Chitral to Islamabad a short while ago. All resources are being mobilised to locate the aircraft. Media will be kept informed as situation develops,” said the PIA.

The PIA said an emergency response center has been activated and can be accessed for updates.

Eyewitnesses reported that they had seen a plane crash in the hilly area near Havelian, near the ordinance factory. Clouds of smoke could be seen rising from the.

Ground rescue teams had been sent to the area, sources said.

This is a developing story and will be updated as soon as further details are received.