PIA F-27 crashes killing all aboard

A Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) Fokker F-27 has crashed on the outskirts of Multan, Pakistan killing all 45 people onboard. There were reports of fire right after take off, with the plane banking, and clipping electrical wires before crashing and bursting into flame. The plane was 40 years old.

This is yet another crash involving senior military/gov't officials. There were several senior members of the military and judiciary onboard the plane at the time of the crash.

A Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) passenger plane crashed on the outskirts of the central city of Multan on Monday, killing all 45 people on board, the local police chief said.

"Everyone is dead. I am standing at the site," police chief Iftikhar Babar said.

Flight PK 688, en route for Lahore before flying on to Islamabad, crashed three minutes after take-off from Multan airport, said Hasan Jaffery, a PIA spokesman. The Fokker plane was carrying 41 passengers and four crew.

"Bodies are badly charred. The debris has caught fire," a witness said.

He said rescue workers from the privately run relief foundation Edhi, the Civil Aviation Authority and the army were taking part in the rescue operation.

"There are few bodies which are identifiable," said Shahid Pervez, a civil defense official, as rescue workers loaded the corpses into ambulances.

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