At least 21 bodies have so far been recovered from the site of a plane crash in northwest Pakistan Wednesday, the military said.

"Rescue effort continues. 21 bodies recovered so far," the military, which is part of rescue efforts, said in a statement.

There was "no chance" any of the 47 people on board the Pakistan International Airlines flight from northern Chitral to Islamabad survived, Sardar Aurangzeb Nalota, a local legislator, told AFP.