Death total rising in Pakistan air crash

Published on Wednesday 28 July 2010 14:13

AT least 90 people have been declared dead after a Pakistani passenger plane carrying 152 people crashed near Islamabad.

• Pakistani rescue workers examine the site of a plane crash in Islamabad

The plane, an airbus 321 owned by private airline Airblue went down in heavy rain while flying from the Southern Port Karachi in the early hours of this morning.

Officials said rescuers are still searching for the remaining bodies but it is unlikely that any survivors will be found.

Heavy monsoons have plagued the area for days.

Senior city government official Aamir Ali Ahmed said: "It's a very difficult operation because of the rain, we can pray and hope but what experts are saying is that there's no chance of any survivors."

The Pakistan army has dispatched troops and three helicopters to the crash site to aid with the rescue effort.

Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilaniwatching declared that Thursday would be a day of national mourning.

Airblue, which has a clean safety record, began operations in 2004 and fly mainly domestic routes.

The company operates mainly domestic routes within Pakistan and has limited flights to the United Arab Emirates, Oman and Manchester.

A Spokesman for the company confirmed that an investigation had been launched into the cause of the crash.