ATR company team arrives in Islamabad to probe PIA crash

A Pakistani soldier walks near the wreckage of a Pakistan International Airline (PIA) plane, which crashed a day earlier, in the village of Saddha Batolni near Abbotabad - Reuters

ISLAMABAD: A six-member team from the ATR company arrived here on Monday to probe the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) PK-661 crash.

The team comprises manufacturing, crash scene and other experts.

According to Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) sources, debris from the crash site will be moved after the team completes its inspection.

The team of French and Canadian experts will work alongside the Safety Investigation Board.

Last week, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) plane carrying 47 people en route to Islamabad from the northern city of Chitral crashed near Abbottabad.

All 47 passengers on board PK-661 including Junaid Jamshed and his wife were killed in the crash.

On Monday, PIA grounded its fleet of ten European-made ATR planes. PIA said it grounded the flights after Pakistan's Civil Aviation Authority decided to conduct "shakedown tests" of PIA's entire ATR fleet.

"(PIA has) decided to keep all 10 ATR aircraft grounded till they are cleared after thorough examination," the company said in a statement.