NATO officials in Afghanistan say they have suspended a search for a missing passenger plane with 104 people on board, after denying earlier reports that the wreckage had been found.

The officials said the search will resume Saturday.

The Kam Air Boeing 737 disappeared Thursday on a flight from the western city of Herat to Kabul, but was turned away from the capital's airport because of a severe snow storm.

Officials say the pilot obtained permission to land in neighboring Pakistan, but that the plane never arrived.

Nine of the passengers are believed to be Turkish nationals and three others were American women working for a health services agency. Six Russian crew members and two Afghan staff were also among those on board.