International
Aircraft With Over 100 Passengers Aboard Crashes Into Residential Area
A Pakistan International Airline (PIA) aircraft has crashed in Model Colony, a densely populated residential area, in the city of Karachi.
The Pakistan International Airlines plane was close to landing when it came down among houses, sending plumes of smoke into the air that could be seen from some distance away.
According to 24 News Digital, the plane crashed just before it was scheduled to land at Karachi Airport on Friday.
The aircraft coming from Lahore, a city in Pakistan, was reportedly carrying over 100 passengers when the incident happened.
Rescue teams of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) have since been deployed to the crash site.
Although rescuers have reported damage to a number of houses, there is no official overall death toll figure from the incident yet.
Rescue workers and local residents pulled people from the debris, as firefighters tried to quench the flames.
“I heard a big bang and woke up to people calling for the fire brigade,” said Karachi resident Mudassar Ali.
PIA spokesman Abdullah Hafeez said there were 91 passengers and seven crew on board the flight, which lost contact with air traffic control just after 2.30pm (0930 GMT).
“It is too early to comment on the cause of the crash,” he said.
Abdul Sattar Khokhar, of the country’s aviation authority, said the Airbus A320 was travelling from Lahore to Karachi.
Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan said he was “shocked and saddened” by the crash, tweeting that he was in touch with the state airline’s chief executive.”
“Prayers and condolences go to families of the deceased,” said Khan.
It is a Black Friday for Pakistanis across the country who are preparing to celebrate the end of Ramadan and the beginning of Eid al-Fitr, with many travelling back to their homes in cities and villages.
The Pakistan military said security forces had been directed to the area and helicopters were being used to survey the damage and help with rescue operations, while offering condolences over the “loss of precious lives” in the incident.
Commercial flights resumed only days ago after planes were grounded during a lockdown over the coronavirus pandemic.
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