15 killed as Pakistani army plane crashes into residential area

15 killed as Pakistani army plane crashes into residential area

AFP / AAMIR QURESHIPakistani soldiers cordon off the site where an aircraft crashed in Rawalpindi

Fifteen people were killed when a small military plane crashed early Tuesday into a residential area in the Pakistani city of Rawalpindi near the capital Islamabad, a rescue official told AFP.

"A small plane crashed into a residential area. So far we have retrieved 15 dead bodies, including 10 civilians and five crew members," rescue spokesman Farooq Butt said, adding that a further 12 people had been injured.

The plane belonged to the Pakistani military and crashed near an upscale neighbourhood in the garrison city home to the army's headquarters.

AFP /Pakistan plane crash

An AFP reporter at the scene said smoke was still rising from the wreckage and destroyed homes, while pieces of the plane were visible on a nearby roof.

Military officials had cordoned off the scene while a crowd of local residents stood nearby, with some sobbing.

Pakistan has a chequered aviation safety record, with plane and helicopter crashes frequent over the years.

In 2016, a Pakistan International Airlines plane burst into flames after one of its two turboprop engines failed while travelling from remote northern Pakistan to Islamabad, killing more than 40 people.

AFP / AAMIR QURESHIThe plane crashed near an upscale neighbourhood in the city of Rawalpindi, home to the army's headquarters
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