BREAKING NEWS: All 47 people on board Pakistani jet feared dead after plane crashes and explodes into a mountain (Photos)

A Pakistani jet with 47 people on board has crashed, shortly after losing contact with ground control.
The Pakistan International Airlines ATR-42 aircraft vanished after taking off from the Northern Chitral region, the airline has stated.
The Pakistan International Airlines ATR-42 aircraft vanished after taking off from the Northern Chitral region, the airline has stated.

The national carrier confirmed in a statement that Flight PK-661, from the city of Chitral to Islamabad, had lost contact with air traffic controllers.


Airline spokesman Danyal Gilani said 37 of those on board were passengers.
The aircraft was carrying 'around 40 people', the airline said in a statement, but the civil aviation authority said 47 people were on board.

It is not yet clear how many casualties there were. The airline said it has mobilised its emergency response centre.

Geo News, citing civil aviation sources, said the plane lost contact with civil aviation authority at around 4.30pm local time.