Pakistan’s Dawn newspaper has reported two people have survived a Friday airplane crash in Karachi that killed 97 people. The passenger plane crashed in a residential area minutes before its scheduled landing Friday afternoon in Pakistan’s largest city, destroying multiple buildings on both sides of a narrow street.
The Pakistan Airlines Pilots Association said it must take part in the investigation of the crash. It also called for the International Civil Aviation Organization and the International Federation of Air Line Pilots’ Associations to be on the investigation team.
Rescue efforts were made difficult by huge plumes of dust, smoke and heat from the crash on an already hot afternoon, along with narrow neighborhood streets.
The Airbus A320 from the national carrier Pakistan International Airlines was flying from Lahore to Karachi when it crashed in an area called Model Colony.
Witnesses said the plane seemed to try to land two or three times before it went down in the poor and heavily congested area.
Video on social media appeared to show the plane with flames shooting from one of its engines.
Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan tweeted he was “Shocked and saddened by the PIA crash. … Immediate inquiry will be instituted. Prayers and condolences go to families of the deceased.”
The plane had a capacity of about 160 passengers, but due to social distancing guidelines, the onboard numbers were kept lower.
The country had only earlier this week resumed domestic flights ahead of the Eid-al Fitr holidays, which marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan. Many of the passengers aboard the flight were whole families returning home together for the Eid holiday. The crash comes as a double blow to Pakistan, with many devastated families already organizing funerals for victims of COVID-19. /compiled from wires-argumentum.al
