Pakistan plane crash kills all passengers on board.

by Katie Murdoch

An airliner carrying 152 people has crashed near Islamabad, the capital city of Pakistan. The Airblue plane, destined to reach Islamabad from Karachi, came down in the hills, north of the city after leaving at 0750 (0350 GMT). The cause of the crash is currently unknown.

Imtiaz Elahi, chairman of the Capital Development Authority, which deals with emergencies, said the crash was "heartbreaking".

"It is a great tragedy, and I confirm it with pain that there are no survivors," he told the Associated Press news agency.

A US Embassy spokesperson has said that two Americans were among the passengers killed, though more details could not be given.

Rescue worker Dawar Adnan told Associated Press from the crash site: "I'm seeing only body parts. This is a very horrible scene."

Airblue spokesman Raheel Ahmed told reporters that the crash was "an extremely tragic incident", adding that an investigation had been launched. He also said that the plane has had no history of technical problems.