Plane with 152 onboard crashes near Islamabad

ISLAMABAD: A Pakistani passenger plane from private company Airblue on Wednesday crashed into hills behind the capital Islamabad, where smoke and flames were seen rising through heavy clouds, police said.

Five injured people were recovered from the site of a crashed Pakistani passenger jet and rushed to hospital on Wednesday, Interior Minister Rehman Malik told local television.

The total number of survivors was not immediately known. A city official said that at least five bodies have also been found.

"Five injured have been taken to hospital in Islamabad by helicopter," Malik told Express TV.

"Rescue teams have reached the area. They are fully equipped. They are scanning the entire area. Those wounded or survivors are being provided assistance and arrangements have been made to take them to hospitals.

"We are trying to get details about the passengers. It's a big tragedy. It's really a big tragedy," he said.

It was not immediately clear how many people were on board. Thick smoke could be seen rising from between the trees on the Margalla Hills on the edge of Islamabad, according to media reports.

"We have reports that the plane fell into the Margalla Hills. There is smoke, but we have not been able to reach there. It is surrounded by the hills and there is no road access," police official Sayed Subhan.

"We have reports that it was a private Airblue airline plane," he said.

It was also reported that rescue operations were hampered due to bad weather. Initial reports suggested that all passengers and crew members (152) are feared dead.