A Pakistan International Airlines plane travelling from Lahore-Allama Iqbal International Airport (LHE/OPLA) Pakistan to Karachi-Jinnah International Airport (KHI/OPKC) Pakistan carrying around 99 passengers and 8 crew has crashed in Karachi. Emergency services have arrived at the scene, where homes have been damaged. We are trying to confirm the number of passengers but initially it is 99 passengers and 8 crew members," said Abdul Sattar Khokhar, the spokesman for Pakistan's aviation authority. The plane was about to land when it crashed near Model Colony, a neighbourhood of Karachi about 3.2km (two miles) north-east of Jinnah International Airport. Pakistan's army said soldiers from its quick reaction force had reached the crash site to help rescue efforts. The crash comes just days after the country began allowing commercial flights to resume after a coronavirus lockdown. The flight departed Lahore at 13:08 hours local time and was expected to arrive at Karachi about 14:45. At 14:35 the flight crew radioed that they were going around and requested another ILS approach to runway 25L. The controller instructed the flight to turn left heading 110 and climb to 2000 feet. At 14:39 the flight declared a Mayday. The controller cleared the flight to land with both runways (25L and 25R) being available, but unfortunately the flight didn't make it back to the airport. The aircraft crashed in a residential area named Model Colony, about 1360 m short of the threshold of runway 25L. The aircraft broke up and a large post-impact fire erupted. Muslims around the world are about to celebrate Eid al-Fitr, a holiday dedicated to the end of Ramadan, the holy month of fasting. News channels said many of the passengers were traveling home to be with family for the holiday. Syed Shibli Faraz, the Pakistani information minister, said the crash was “a very tragic incident just before Eid.” Prime Minister Imran Khan said he was “shocked and saddened.”
Flight Information
Airline: Pakistan International
Airline Code: PK/PIA
Aircraft: Airbus A320-214
Registration: AP-BLD
Serial Number: 2274
Flight Number: PK 8303
Engines: 2 x CFMI CFM56-5B4/P
Age: 15 years 9 months
Test Registration: F-WWIJ
THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS GO OUT TO THE IMMEDIATE FAMILY AND FRIENDS AND ALL THE STAFF AT PAKISTAN INTERNATIONAL.
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