Two Austrians, one Chinese among victims of PIA plane crash

ISLAMABAD: Two Austrians and one Chinese citizen, all men, had been on board the ill-fated PIA plane, that crashed Wednesday on a domestic flight from Chitral to Islamabad, killing all 47 people passengers.

In a late night statement, PIA said the plane was carrying 47 people, including five crew members and 42 passengers. Earlier, the airline had said there were 48 people on board.

The airline said two Austrian citizens and one Chinese citizen, all men, had been on board. The flight manifest showed three people on board with foreign names.

The Austrian foreign minister's spokesman has also confirmed two Austrians had been killed in the crash.

"PIA is doing everything possible to help the families of passengers and crew members," the airline said in a statement.

Foreigners Working For Andritz

The two Austrians and a Chinese man who died in a plane crash in Pakistan worked for Austrian engineering group Andritz on a hydropower project in the north of the country, a spokesman for the company said on Wednesday.

Andritz, an Austrian blue chip company with around 25,500 employees worldwide, builds machinery and provides services for hydro-power plants and the steel and paper industry.

The spokesman added that the Chinese man had worked for Andritz's Chinese unit.

"Our compassion is with the families, whom we will give any support," he said.