Over 90 Feared Dead in Pakiistan Plane Crash

At least 90 people were feared dead after a Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) carrying 98 persons, including 90 passengers and 8 crew members, crashed in a residential area close to the Karachi Airport on Friday. According the PIA authorities two persons survived the crash.

The PIA flight identified as PK 8303, which took off from Lahore, was about to land in Karachi when it crashed at the Jinnah Garden area near Model Colony. The PIA CEO, Arshad Malik, said the pilot had informed the control room of facing a technical issue and then decided to go around rather than land even though two runways were ready for landing. Almost a week after the Covid-19-induced air travel restrictions were lifted by the government.

Thick black smoke rose from the accident scene of devastation in the Model Colony area. Faisal Edhi of the Edhi Welfare Trust said that so far many bodes have been recovered from the crashed plane. “Our rescue workers have taken out 45 bodies from the remains of the aircraft”, he added.

Sindh jealth minister Azra Pechuho said that 19 bodies have been shifted from the crash site to Jinnah hospital and another 20 to the civil hospital. Scores of injured were also rushed to other hospitals.

The minister said there are three survivors including President of the Bank of Punjab Zafar Masood. He called up his mother to inform her of his well-being.

Edhi said that around 25 to 30 residents whose houses were damaged by the plane have also been taken to the hospital, mostly with burn wounds.

The aircraft wings during the crash landing hit the houses in the residential colony before crashing down. “More than 25-30 houses have been damaged in this incident”. Edhi said.

Exact reason behind the incident is yet to be ascertained, the PIA Chief Executive Air Vice Marshal, Arshad Malik, said the pilot had told traffic control that the plane was experiencing some technical troubles.