Islamabad - At least 11 bodies have been recovered by the rescue team at the site where a plane carrying 152 people crashed in Margalla Hills on Wednesday morning in Pakistan's capital Islamabad.
The tragedy took place at about 10am when an airbus flight of a Pakistani private airliner named Airblue from Turkey to Islamabad via Karachi, crashed behind the mountains of Margalla Hills, lying to the northeast of the capital.
The plane whose flight number is not known yet took off from the Karachi International Airport at about 7:50am this morning. It was carrying 152 people, including six crew members.
Shortly after the incident happened, a large number of rescue teams, including three military helicopters, were dispatched to the scene. Local residents in the Margalla Hills also joined the military and police in the rescue work.
While rescue efforts are being hampered by heavy fog, sources at the crash site said the chance of survival for the people aboard was slim.
Large crowds of relatives and friends who had planned to receive their loved ones were shocked upon hearing the news and were eager for any information.
The reason for the crash is not yet known. But suspicion is that it could be related to bad weather as it was raining heavily in Islamabad when the plane crashed. Many flights coming into Islamabad have been canceled due to bad weather.
The Pakistani Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani has ordered the military to immediately conduct an investigation into the accident.
The Prime Minister and Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari have expressed shock and grief over the crash.
