A Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) plane with 99 people on board has crashed near a Karachi housing colony moments before its expected landing at the airport. The PIA flight PK-303 was arriving from Lahore and was about to land in Karachi when the pilot signalled trouble in the engine and sent ‘May Day’ sign to the air traffic control.
The ATC confirmed that both the runways were available for the plane to land but the PIA flight crashed near the airport seemingly into a human population. Among those travveling in the plane were 91 passengers and eight crew members. There were 51 male, 31 female and nine children. Also in the plane were Punjab Bank Chairman Zafar Masood and a senior journalist Ansar Naqvi.
Masud is believed to have survived the crash. A video of Masud being carried by local heroes from the crash site has gone viral.
Bank of Punjab President Zafar Masud being rescued by local heroes after the PIA aircraft crash in Karachi pic.twitter.com/SJuWFBGF5y
— Murtaza Ali Shah (@MurtazaViews) May 22, 2020
The fate of the passengers is not known yet.
Several houses have reportedly been damaged by the plane crash. In one viral video, a woman was heard saying, ‘plane crash ho gaya hai.’ Black smokes could be seen billowing out in thick volume in the video.
Speechless! #karachiPlaneCrash pic.twitter.com/Ys4EEbrtUB
— Rifat Jawaid (@RifatJawaid) May 22, 2020
Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan tweeted, “Shocked & saddened by the PIA crash. Am in touch with PIA CEO Arshad Malik, who has left for Karachi & with the rescue & relief teams on ground as this is the priority right now. Immediate inquiry will be instituted. Prayers & condolences go to families of the deceased.”
Shocked & saddened by the PIA crash. Am in touch with PIA CEO Arshad Malik, who has left for Karachi & with the rescue & relief teams on ground as this is the priority right now. Immediate inquiry will be instituted. Prayers & condolences go to families of the deceased.
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) May 22, 2020
The Pakistan Army’s media wing Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said that Army Quick Reaction Force and Sindh Pakistan Rangers reached the spot for carrying out rescue and relief operations alongside civil administration.
Here’s the list of all passengers
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