RAWALPINDI, April 20: Bhoja Air crash was a great tragedy for the families of the 127 people who perished, but a miracle for the people of Hussainabad rural suburb of Islamabad who escaped the same fate.

Parts of the ill-fated plane and its passengers fell over many houses in the village but no one inside them was even hurt, although the falling debris hit five houses directly, causing major damage.

“Heavy rain and thunderstorm had driven most of the villagers into their homes. Still we survived,” said a villager, praising Allah for His mercy.

“I shudder at the thought if the burning wreckage of the plane had set our wheat crop standing in the fields on fire,” added another one.

However, the incident terrified the people and forced them to shift their families to their relatives in nearby houses.

A few schoolbooks, laptops, medicines and children’s toys lay scattered at the site. A large part of one of the aircraft’s wings bearing the airline’s logo, and an engine could be seen among the debris.

Human body parts and goods belonging to the passengers were seen scattered in the area.The police, rescue services and army personnel busy in rescue work at the site had no coordination.

Islamabad police inspector general Bani Amin came hard on SSP traffic Dr Moen Masood for failing to control the traffic at the site as all the ambulances carrying the bodies remained stuck there for about three hours.

The IGP then went out on a motorcycle with a local resident to arrange an alternative route for the rescue vehicles.

Mohammad Arshad, a navy captain, who lives in the nearby Naval Housing Scheme, said: “I saw the plane in a descending position and trying to pull up. However, after failing, it crashed into the semi-residential area.”

Mr Arshad was the first to reach the site and call emergency services. He said the plane was in a landing mode as its tyres were open. “It is difficult for a pilot to lift the plane when it is in the landing position,” he said.

Another local resident, Mumtaz Khan said when the plane crashed, it terrified the residents and his four children burst into tears. As many as 12 bodies of the victims were found from around his house.

Mohammad Akram, another resident, said he rushed to his house soon after the incident to check whether his family was safe. “Later, I reached the wreckage of the plane to save the passengers but there was no one who could need my help,” he said.

There were emotional scenes at the site where some relatives of the victims had reached in search of their near and dear ones. But their hopes of finding their relatives alive faded after being told that none of the passengers had survived.

Mohammad Saleh reached the site in search of his brother-in-law who was coming to Islamabad on a business trip.

“The young man has two small sons and a daughter and they are constantly inquiring about the well-being of their father without knowing what has happened,” said Saleh.