In a horrific incident a Pakistani International Airlines flight with 107 people on board crashed near the Karachi airport, just a minute before it was to land. The flight had 99 passengers and eight crew on board.
The Airbus A320 flight took off from Lahore to Karachi. The plane hit into a residential area causing further damage to lives. It went down in what seems like a densely populated Jinnah Garden area near Model Colony in Malir – just short of the Karachi airport.
The latest images from Pakistani media and locals show that the residential complex has also gone into the fire. The footage shows smoke could be seen billowing in the sky as ambulances tried to make their way through. All onboard are looking to have lost their life prima facie though official statements about to come.
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25 residents of the area, injured in the crash, have been reportedly taken to hospitals. A state of emergency has been declared in the hospitals of Karachi.
“The plane crashed in Karachi. We are trying to confirm the number of passengers but initially, it is 99 passengers and eight crew members” said Abdul Sattar Khokhar, the spokesman for the country’s aviation authority. The flight was a special one run on the occasion of Eid to ferry people home amidst pandemic enforced lockdown.
Pakistan very recently began allowing commercial flights to resume within the country. Pak Army Quick Reaction Force and Pakistan Rangers were rushed to the site for relief and assistance. Engine failure has been reported as a cause of the crash as of now.
As per local media reports the plane lost connection from Air Traffic control minutes before landing. The actual cause of the accident is to be evaluated and would be put forward in the public domain by the authorities.
Pakistani Prime Minister said that he was saddened by the incident. Prime Minister Imran Khan has said that rescue and relief is a priority right now for his government.
