RAWALPINDI - Moving scenes were witnessed at Benazir Bhutto International Airport Islamabad (BBIAP) where a large number of families of the plane crash victims were present to collect the dead bodies on Wednesday.

Tears were rolling down cheeks of the family members. “I was preparing tea for my father when the news of plane crash flashed on TV channel,” said Sara Bibi, sister of a victim. She said it seemed the sky had fallen over her head.

“I immediately ran towards TV lounge where my mother was weeping desperately after hearing news that her son was no more,” she said and added, “All the relatives started gathering at our residence to condole the death of my brother.”

“I was going to Islamabad to see some of my relative when I received a phone call from my wife that the plane having her brother on board had crashed near Kaseel in Havelian,” said Abdul Jabbar, a businessman, who was standing at BBIIAP for getting updates regarding arrival of dead bodies.

He said he returned home to soothe his wife.

Many others said the news of plane crash was shocking. They said the government should ground all old airplanes to avoid further life losses.

Talking to media at the airport, Secretary Civil Aviation Irfan Elahi said the CAA’s investigation board headed by Air Commodor Munir would lead the investigations about the cause of the plane crash.

Elahi said the CAA had sought help from district government of Abbotabad, from rescuers and other agencies for rescue operation. He said the army troops were present at the crash site. He added that all dead bodies would first be shifted to Ayub Medical Hosptial in Abbottabad and then the bodies would be brought to Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences in Islamabad. At PIMS, DNA tests of unrecognizable bodies would be carried out for their identification.

After getting the information that the PK-661 had crashed in hills near Havellian district, the authorities of PIA and Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) had set up information desks at BBIIAP to facilitate families of the passengers.

Informed sources said the pilot of national flag carrier (PK-661) had last contacted Air Traffic Control at Benazir Bhutto Islamabad International Airport at about 3:40pm saying the left engine of the aeroplane had developed some fault and had stopped functioning, informed sources yesterday.

“This was the last communication between the pilot and the officials of ATC,” they said. They added the officials at ATC BBIIAP continued asking him to land as runway was clear for the plane, besides sending messages but there was no response from the flight PK-661.

The same ATR plane left BBIIP at about at 11am for Chitral with 45 passengers on board, the airport sources further said. They said that the flight was scheduled to land at BBIAP at about 4:30pm.

Talking to The Nation, CAA spokesperson Fariha Shah said that two desks had been set up and telephone helplines had been established to provide required information to families of the victims.

She said so far families of two passengers had approached the CAA desk at BBIIAP and they were properly guided and informed about the ongoing rescue operation at the crash site.

Meanwhile, PIA management had made arrangements for residence of families of the victims in hotels at the airline’s panel in twin cities. The management had obtained 40 rooms to provide residence to families of the passengers as they would have to wait for receiving the dead bodies.

A scene of rush was observed outside BBIIAP as a large number of media persons gathered there after the news about the crash broke. Further, Umra flights from Saudi Arabia arrived and a lot of people came to receive the pilgrims.

The rush outside the airport caused traffic jam on the airport road and created problems for passengers wanted to go inside the airport.