All 48 onboard killed in PIA flight crash

Islamabad [Pakistan], Dec. 8 (ANI): All the 48 people who were onboard the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) that crashed near Abbottabad yesterday have been killed.

"There are no survivors, no one has survived," The Express tribune quoted Muhammad Azam Saigol, chairman of the PIA, as saying in a press conference late on Wednesday.

He said that the ATR-42 aircraft had undergone regular maintenance and had passed an "A-check" certification in October, conducted after every 500 hours of flight operations.

"I think that there was no technical error or human error . obviously there will be a proper investigation," Saigol said.

"The flight was on its way to Islamabad from Chitral and carried 42 passengers, five crew members and one ground engineer on board," said PIA spokesperson Daniyal Gilani.

"All the bodies are burnt beyond recognition. The debris is scattered," said Taj Muhammad Khan, a government official based in the Havelian region.

Global aviation watchdog Aviation Herald said that PK-661 crashed near Abbottabad due to engine problems.

"It remains to be seen if this was a technical fault. In Pakistan, there is a big question regarding whether international safety standards are followed when it comes to aircrafts," said Air Marshall Shahid Latif. (ANI)