PIA flight PK-661 missing on Chitral Islamabad route: Junaid Jamshed and family confirmed to be on board

6:43pm IST

"A plane has crashed and locals told us that it is on fire," said Saeed Wazir, a senior local police official. "Police and rescue officials are on the way but have yet not reached on site." 

6:41pm IST

MORE PICS OF THE ALLEGED CRASH SITE

Pakistan's last major air disaster was in 2015 when a military helicopter crashed in a remote northern valley, killing eight people including the Norwegian, Philippine and Indonesian envoys and the wives of Malaysian and Indonesian envoys. 

6:34pm IST

There are unlikely to be any survivors, a government official on the scene said. "All of the bodies are burned beyond recognition. The debris is scattered," said Taj Muhammad Khan, an official based in the Havelian region in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

THIS TWEET ALLEGES THAT THIS PIC SHOWS THE SITE OF THE CRASH. BE ADVISED IBT CANNOT VERIFY THE VERACITY OF THE PHOTOGRAPH  

6:25pm IST

Reports also state that there were at least three foreign nationals on board the plane. We will bring you details as we get them

6:23pm IST

Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif and Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan have directed the concerned federal departments to immediately initiate rescue efforts and help provincial government, Press Information Department said. 

6:20pm IST

Deputy Commissioner of Chitral Umar Waraich was also on board the flight

  What we know so far:

• PIA flight PK-661 was flying from Chitral to Islamabad when it 'went missing'
• More than 40 passengers on board
• Prominent evangelist Junaid Jamshed on flight

6:12pm IST

Junaid Jamshed, wife and daughter also on plane

Eyewitnesses said they had seen a plane crash in a hilly area near Havelian, near the Ordinance factory. Clouds of smoke could be seen rising from the area of the reported crash.

6:09pm IST

CONFIRMED! 

According to a list of passengers issues by reports, popular personality Junaid Jamshed was also on the ill-fated plane.

Jamshed, a former musician turned religious preacher and 'naat-khwaan', was in Chitral and his name was among the list of passengers on board the flight. According to list, Jamshed was on the seat 27-C.

Jamshed's brother has confirmed that Jamshed was onboard the ill-fated plane.

6:04pm IST

It is being speculated that Pakistan singer Junaid Jamshed was als on on board PK-661

According to GEO News  the worst aviation tragedy on Pakistani soil came in July 2010 when an Airbus 321 passenger jet operated by the private airline Airblue crashed into hills overlooking Islamabad. The flight was coming in from Karachi. All 152 people on board were killed in the accident, which occurred amid heavy rain and poor visibility.

5:50pm IST

Army troops and army helicopters have been mobilised to a site near Havelian, Inter-Services Public Relations said. District Police Officer Abbottabad also relayed reports of a plane crashing near Havelian to DawnNews.

5:57pm IST

Here are the numbers for the PIA Emergency response center: 0092-21-99044890, 0092-21-99044376, and 0092-21-99044394

5:55pm IST

"PIA's ATR-42 aircraft operating as PK-661, carrying around 40 persons lost its contact with the control tower on its way from Chitral to Islamabad a short while ago," PIA Spokesman Daniyal Gilani tweeted. "All resources are being mobilised to locate the aircraft."

ATR accidents in the last few years

On 4 February 2015, TransAsia Airways Flight 235, an ATR 72-600 carrying 58 people crashed in Taipei, killing 44 people. At least 15 passengers survived.

On 23 July 2014, TransAsia Airways Flight 222, an ATR 72-500 crashed into hard ground whilst attempting an emergency landing Taiwan's Penghu county, killing 48-51 people and injuring 8.

On 16 October 2013, Lao Airlines Flight 301, an ATR 72–600 crashed into the Mekong River while on approach to Pakse International Airport, Laos, killing all 49 people on board.

5:53pm IST

CAA sources confirmed a mayday call from the pilot to the control tower shortly before it lost communication with the plane.

5:48pm IST

PIA currently operates 6 ATR 42-500s and 8 ATR 72-500s

5:46pm IST

The plane is reportedly an ATR. More on that later

5:44pm IST

Eyewitnesses report seeing a plane crashing near Havelian, DawnNews reported.

5:41pm IST

The flight departed from Chitral around 3:30pm and was expected to land at Islamabad's Benazir Bhutto International Airport at around 4:40pm.

5:38pm IST

A Pakistan International Airlines flight 'went missing' on the way to Islamabad from Chitral on Wednesday, DawnNews reported.

There are 47 passengers on board the plane, according to media reports.