A Pakistan International Airlines passenger plane, with 99 people onboard, crashed in the coastal city Karachi after abortive an attempt at landing on the airport strip.
The low-flying and slow-moving plane hit a Model Colony neighborhood a few hundred meters away the Jinnah International Airport Friday afternoon, sending shockwaves among across the nation on the eve of Eid ul Fitr being marked amid coronavirus outbreak.
Sindh provincial health officials have confirmed the death of 97 people, while two people survived the crash moments after the pilot told the traffic controllers that the plane had lost the engine, and sent Mayday emergency messages.
Tragic accident Pakistan Airlines crush near karachi my deep condolence with these people and their family.#pakistanplanecrash#planecrash #PIACrash #PIAPlaneCrash #aircrash #karachiPlaneCrash #Pakistani#Karachi #PIAPlaneCrashed pic.twitter.com/X3LN800xtr
— Aliza Shah (@AlizaSh123) May 22, 2020
The survivors include Zafar Massoud, President Bank of Punjab and Mohammad Zubair. PIA spokesperson Abdullah Hafeez said that the A320 Airbus was carrying 91 passengers and 8 crew members from Lahore to Karachi on PK 8303.
Meeran Yousuf, the media coordinator for the Sindh health minister, told the media that senior journalist and Director Programming 24 News Ansar Naqvi was also among the passengers.
Plumes of smoke rose from the site of the crash, which remained engulfed in dark smoke before firefighters and ambulances arrived to carry out rescue operations.
Extremely scary video of plane crash in #Pakistan. #planecrash pic.twitter.com/3aI5Aj9I4I
— Adv.Anil Singh (@asrampurnaikin) May 22, 2020
Prime Minister Imran Khan expressed a profound sense of grief over the plane crash.
“Am in touch with PIA CEO Arshad Malik, who has left for Karachi, and with the rescue and relief teams on ground as this is the priority right now. Immediate inquiry will be instituted. Prayers and condolences go to families of the deceased,” he said in a Twitter post.
The plane crash revived memories of Pakistan last deadly incident when a PIA plane in 2016 burst into flames after one of its two turboprop engines failed near Havelian while flying from the remote north to Islamabad, killing more than 40 people including popular singer Junaid Jamshed.
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
Several countries including the Unite States and world leaders condoled the loss of life.
Prime Minister of neighboring India Narendra Modi in a condolence message said he was deeply saddened over the loss of life.
Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau has also expressed condolences to the government and people of Pakistan over the tragic incident.
