PAKISTAN: No survivors in the worst aviation accident on Pakistani soil

Record ID: 382201

  • Title: PAKISTAN: No survivors in the worst aviation accident on Pakistani soil
  • Date: 29th July 2010
  • Summary: ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN (ORIGINALLY 4:3) (JULY 28, 2010) (REUTERS) HELICOPTER HOVERING OVER CRASH SITE VARIOUS OF RESCUE WORKERS AT CRASH SITE
  • Embargoed: 13th August 2010 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Pakistan
  • Country: Pakistan
  • Topics: Disasters / Accidents / Natural catastrophes,Transport
  • Reuters ID: LVA1B01PWS6FECKE3C7YOLAFUPOS
  • Story Text: A passenger jet crashes into a heavily wooded and hard-to-access hillside near the Pakistani capital Islamabad, killing all 152 people on board.
    A Pakistani passenger plane crashed in heavy rain near Islamabad on Wednesday (July 28), killing all 152 people on board, officials said, in Pakistan's worst ever aviation accident.
    The Airbus 321, belonging to private airline Airblue, crashed into a heavily wooded and hard-to-access hillside while flying from the southern port city of Karachi.
    The plane lost contact with the control room of the Islamabad International Airport at 0443 GMT. It was carrying 146 passengers and six crew members.
    More than 90 bodies have been recovered so far, but the bad weather is making recovery efforts difficult.
    The Pakistani authorities said there were no survivors and rescue workers were recovering the remains of the dead bodies from the wreckage.
    Rescuers said they had to dig through the rubble with their bare hands, with fire and thick smoke hampering their work. The fire has been extinguished, but access to the hillside remained limited to pedestrians and helicopters.
    The military said it had sent three helicopters to the site and troops have also been moved there. Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani surveyed rescue operations from the air and the government has declared Thursday (July 28) a day of mourning for the victims.
    Airblue began operations in 2004 with a fleet of Airbus A320 and A321 aircraft, according to the company's website. It primarily flies domestic routes as well as to the United Arab Emirates, Oman and Manchester in Britain.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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