CAA orders inquiry into PIA ATR crash

ISLAMABAD: The director general of Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) on Wednesday ordered formation of a board of inquiry into the crash of a Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) ATR-42 aircraft operating flight PK-661.

"The board of inquiry has been directed to look into the cause of the crash," a spokesperson for CAA said.

About rumours of any fault in the left engine of the aircraft, the spokesperson said the inquiry would consider all aspects and issue a detailed report within due course of time.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif directed concerned authorities to take all necessary steps to transport and recognise bodies of unfortunate passengers and crew of PIA flight that crashed near Havelian today.

1. Activation of National Emergency Operation Centre for coordination and any assistance from National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) Ph. No. 051-9205037.

2. NDMA has advised Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) and district administration to transport all bodies to a single hospital for recognition and further transportation.

3. Ministry of Interior has placed its helicopters on the disposal of NDMA to evacuate dead bodies. Meanwhile, the search operation by police and army troops was in progress.

4. The NADRA chairman was asked for mobile biometric teams for the purpose of recognition.

5. District administration through PDMA, and NADRA chairman have activated mobile biometric teams to identify bodies.

6. A facilitation centre was established by the DCO Abbottabad.

6. Dead bodies were evacuated to Hospital Havelian and Ayub Medical College Tehsil Havelian.

7. DCO Office Abbottabad has confirmed that burnt bodies would be shifted to Ayub Medical Teaching Hospital Abbottabad, Ph. No. 0992-9310200.