|
|
|
PIA passenger plane crashes minutes before landing in Karachi
|
|
|
|
Top Stories |
|
|
|
|
IANS | 22 May, 2020
At least three of the nearly 100 people aboard a Pakistan International
Airline (PIA) passenger plane from Lahore to Karachi, survived as it
crashed minutes before landing at the Jinnah International Airport on
Friday.
At least three people have survived the crash, Sindh Health Minister Dr. Azra Fazal Pechuho said.
The
PIA A320 passenger aircraft was carrying at least 90 passengers and
eight crew members in the flight PK 8303, when it crashed into the
densely populated vicinity called Jinnah Gardens, Model Colony, located
next to the runway of the airport.
PIA Spokesperson Abdullah
Hafeez confirmed the crash while PIA CEO, Air Marshal Arshad Malik
maintained that the plane seemed to have technical issues.
"Unfortunately,
today a tragic incident has occurred. I can tell this that the last
words heard from the pilot were that there was some technical issue. And
even though both runways were cleared for landing, the pilot wanted to
take another turn," the CEo said.
One eyewitness said that the plane first hit a mobile tower before crashing into the houses.
"The aeroplane first hit a mobile tower and crashed over houses," said Shakeel.
Initial
reports suggested that all 98 passengers, including cabin crew, may
have died in the crash. However after rescue operations gained momentum,
some people did manage to survive the crash.
However, the actual numbers of fatalities is not yet confirmed.
Eyewitnesses
say that the plane crashed on two houses while at least seven other
houses have also been badly damaged. A rescue operation has been
launched as dead bodies along with the injured are being taken to the
hospitals.
"Till now, at least 17 dead bodies have been brought
to the Jinnah hospital while at least 4 are being shifted to Civil
hospital as we have run out of our capacity," said Dr. Seemi Jamali,
Executive Director of Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre.
The
recognition of the dead has become impossible as per an immense degree
of burns, due to which the DNA collection will be processed to identify
the deceased.
Reason for the crash will be ascertained after the
inquiry is done and information from the black box, recovered from the
crash site is extracted.
However, it is being speculated that
technical issue, as stated by the pilot also, was due to the landing
gear that failed to open at the time of landing. Other speculation is of
multiple bird hits that caused the plane to crash less than a minute
away from the runway.
The crash came just days after Pakistan
allowed the domestic flights to resume operations after being grounded
for days due to the coronavirus pandemic.
It is also pertinent
to mention here that the PIA's Engineering Department had already told
the administration of the airlines several times that the aircraft was
unfit for flight as it had several technical issues in some parts of its
engine. They had made these revelations in writing to the respective
administration.
Captain Narejo, General Secretary of the
Pakistan Airline Pilots' Association (PALPA), has stated that it would
be too early to decipher what might have caused the crash, as it
wouldn't be appropriate to cause suspicion and distress among the
public.
Prime Minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan, has offered
condolences to the families of the departed and has ensured an immediate
inquiry is instituted. Federal Minister for Aviation, Ghulam Sarwar
Khan, expressed his grief and sorrow over the tragedy and has instructed
the Aircraft Accident Investigation Board to come up with a prompt
inquiry report for the incident.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Customs Exchange Rates |
Currency |
Import |
Export |
US Dollar
|
66.20
|
64.50 |
UK Pound
|
87.50
|
84.65 |
Euro
|
78.25
|
75.65 |
Japanese
Yen |
58.85 |
56.85 |
As on 13 Aug, 2022 |
|
|
Daily Poll |
|
|
PM Modi's recent US visit to redefine India-US bilateral relations |
|
|
|
|
|
Commented Stories |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|