ISLAMABAD: Three top Pakistani-American physicians were killed when their private double engine Beech craft Baron crashed Mondaynight at 2240 hours in Palos Hills, a city in the US state of Illinois.

The three were on board when the plane crashed in a Palos Hills neighbourhood soon after it took off from Chicago’s Midway International Airport.

"The three Pakistani-American physicians who died in the air crash were pulmonologist Dr Ali Kanchwala, cardiologist Dr Maria Javed, also wife of Dr Ali Kanchwala and neurosurgeon Dr Tauseef Rehman — all based in Lawrence, Kansas," Pakistan's Consul General in Chicago Faisal Tirmizi told Dawn.

"They had gone to Chicago for a shopping trip and were returning in the evening when the aircraft crashed," Tirmizi said.

The Pakistani consulate has established the contact with the families and friends of the three deceased to provide necessary assistance.

The consulate also got in touch with Deputy Police Chief of Palos Hills James Boie once the news was received.

According to initial reports, it appeared that Dr Tauseef who was flying the aircraft deliberately crashed it in an open area in order to protect houses in a heavily populated area.

"It came through the trees and missed all the houses," said Palos Hills Deputy Police Chief James Boie, adding that the plane's occupants were dead when first responders arrived at the scene.

The plane was headed from Chicago Midway International Airport towards Lawrence, Kansas, the Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement.

Tirmizi said the funeral of Dr Ali Kanchwala and Dr Maria Javed was likely to be held in the US, whereas Dr Tauseef Rehman’s remains are to be sent to Pakistan for burial.