Black box found, cause of crash to be investigated: Kaira

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Information Broadcasting, Qamar Zaman Kaira Wednesday said the black box (Flight Data Recorder) of the crashed plane has been found and actual cause of crash would be ascertained after a thorough examination of the black box.

He said an inquiry committee has been constituted which would give its opinion after analysing the black box and completing the inquiry procedure.In an exclusive talk with a news channel, he expressed his heartfelt grief and sorrow over the loss of precious lives and said the entire nation is shocked over the sad event.

Kaira said Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani postponed the cabinet meeting and declared a day of national mourning over the tragic incident.

The Prime Minister, he said, along with Chief Ministers of all provinces had an aerial view of the crash site atop Margalla hills.

The private passenger airliner that could not land at Islamabad airport due to bad weather crashed into a 3000 feet high peak in the Margallas at around 10.00 in the morning, killing around 150 passengers and crew.

Answering a question about rescue activities, Qamar Zaman Kaira, who also accompanied the Prime Minister, said soon after the incident rescue teams and people reached the spot to help the survivors, if any.

He said though crash site is very difficult to reach, rescuers are conducting the operation actively.

The Minister prayed to Almighty Allah to rest the departed souls in eternal peace and grant the bereaved family the courage to bear the loss with magnanimity.

DNA tests to identify crash victims

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani health officials said Wednesday they would have to use DNA tests to identify charred bodies plucked from the wreckage of an airliner that crashed into hills outside Islamabad.

“Most of the dead bodies are in pieces, only body parts, some of them badly burnt… these can only be identified through DNA,” Mahmood Jamal, chief of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) told reporters.

Officials said rescue workers had collected body parts and pieces of charred flesh into bags.

“Some 300 body bags, 40 blankets and 10 bundles of rope have been air dropped at the crash site,” said the national disaster management authority.

At least 10 dead in China workers” dorm fire

BEIJING: At least 10 people have been killed in a fire at a dormitory for railway workers in China”s Inner Mongolia region, the state news agency reported Tuesday, citing local firefighters.

Fourteen people were injured and taken to hospital in the fire, which broke out in the regional capital Hohhot late Monday, the agency said in a brief dispatch. Six of them suffered serious burns, it said. The blaze was quickly brought under control, the report said, adding that an investigation had been launched.The workers had been building a railway tunnel in the area.