A PIA Pakistan International Airlines ATR-42-500, registration AP-BHO operating flight PK-661 from Chitral to Islamabad with 42 passengers and 5 crew, has crashed with a resultant fire.

Aviation Herald reported that the pilots declared an emergency after take-off reporting problems with the left engine, and shortly afterwards radio and radar contact was lost with the aircraft at about 16:30 local time.

Residents in Havelian near Abbottabad (Pakistan) about 25nm north of the airport heard sounds consistent with an impact the site said.

Aviation Herald said that local government sources report, seven bodies have been recovered, chances to find survivors are "bleak".

Pakistan's Civil Aviation Authority confirmed the aircraft declared emergency shortly before it disappeared from radar screens. 

PIA flight PK-661 carrying over 40 passengers crashed on the way to Islamabad from Chitral on Wednesday pic.twitter.com/m8zxo6xMj4

— M.Daud (@daud_khan) December 7, 2016

PIA flight PK-661 crashes enroute to Islamabad pic.twitter.com/X8zSXuTj4Y

— M.Daud (@daud_khan) December 7, 2016