- Title: Pakistan's plane crash victims mourned at Islamabad morgue
- Date: 8th December 2016
- Summary: ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN (DECEMBER 8, 2016) (ORIGINALLY 4:3) (REUTERS) IMAM AND PEOPLE SAYING THEIR PRAYERS FOR PLANE CRASH VICTIMS PEOPLE SAYING THEIR PRAYERS CLOSE OF IMAM IMAM AND PEOPLE SAYING THEIR PRAYERS VARIOUS OF IMAM AND PEOPLE PRAYING WITH RAISED HANDS/PEOPLE SAYING "AMEN" HAVELIAN, PAKISTAN (DECEMBER 8, 2016) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF WRECKAGE OF CRASHED PLANE BOYS LOOKING AT WRECKAGE OF PLANE DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT OF HAVELIAN POLICE, KHURSHEED TANOLI (LEFT) AND OTHER OFFICERS STANDING (SOUNDBITE) (Urdu) DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT OF HAVELIAN POLICE, KHURSHEED TANOLI, SAYING: "(Last night) when we reached here, the plane was engulfed in flames. Many dead bodies were burnt in the blaze." ARMY RECOVERY TEAM/WRECKAGE OF PLANE (SOUNDBITE) (English/Urdu) FLIGHT ATTENDANT, RUBINA ASHRAF, SAYING: "They were all my colleagues. They were so young. Cockpit crew, cabin crew, they were all good people. I am in agony by the death of all the passengers because they were all precious human lives." RECOVERY TEAMS WALKING DOWN HILL/PLANE WRECKAGE
- Embargoed: 23rd December 2016 15:15
- Keywords: Pakistan Islamabad Havelian plane crash victims prayers
- Location: ISLAMABAD AND HAVELIAN, PAKISTAN
- City: ISLAMABAD AND HAVELIAN, PAKISTAN
- Country: Pakistan
- Reuters ID: LVA0015C0YMV9
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: EDITORS PLEASE NOTE: THIS EDIT CONTAINS CONVERTED 4:3 MATERIAL
Relatives and airline officials on Thursday (December 8) prayed for the victims of the deadliest plane crash in four years at a morgue in Islamabad where bodies recovered from the crash site were being identified.
Stunned relatives gathered at the hospital morgue, some weeping quietly, as they waited for the remains of their loved ones.
Pakistan International Airlines' (PIA) plane carrying 47 people crashed into a mountain at 4:42 pm local time (1142 GMT) in the Havelian area of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province, about 40km (25 miles) north of Islamabad on Wednesday (December 7).
Recovery teams continued searching the crash site for remains of the victims, most burnt beyond recognition.
"When we reached here, the plane was engulfed in flames. Many dead bodies were burnt in the blaze," Khursheed Tanoli, Deputy Superintendent of Havelian police said.
Officials said remains of the victims were being flown by helicopter to Islamabad where DNA tests will be used to identify them.
Colleagues of the crew members, some present at the crash site, mourned loss of their friends.
"They were so young. Cockpit crew, cabin crew, they were all good people. I am in agony by the death of all the passengers because they were all precious human lives," a flight attendant, Rubina Ashraf said.
The pilot of the aircraft which crashed just 50 km (31 miles) short of its destination, the international airport in Islamabad issued a "mayday" emergency call before the crash. A PIA spokesman said the pilot may have prevented an even bigger catastrophe by manoeuvring the plane away from populated areas.
Engine trouble was initially believed responsible, but many questions remain, stirring new worries about the safety record of money-losing state carrier Pakistani International Airlines.
But airline officials said the aircraft involved in the crash had undergone regular maintenance, including an "A-check" certification in October.
The aircraft, made by French company ATR in 2007, had racked up 18,739 flight hours since joining PIA's fleet that year.
Its captain, Saleh Janjua, had logged more than 12,000 flight hours over his career, the airline said.
Concern is growing over air safety in Pakistan as media in recent years have reported several near-misses.
In the worst disaster, in 2010, all 152 people on board were killed when a plane operated by airline Air Blue crashed in heavy rain near Islamabad.
Two years later, all 127 aboard were killed when a plane operated by Bhoja Air crashed near the city. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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