A Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) aircraft has crashed in a residential area near the Karachi Airport.
PIA spokesperson Abdul Sattar confirmed the crash and added that the flight, A-320, was carrying 90 passengers and was flying from Lahore to Karachi.
Footage showed plumes of smoke rising from the site of the crash. Ambulances and rescue officials arrived at the scene to help residents.
The Minister of Health & Population Welfare has declared an emergency in major hospitals as per the Sindh province Health Minister’s media coordinator.
15-20 people have been recovered from the crash site.
In his last few words, the pilot said that due to a technical reason there was a fault with the aircraft. According to PIA CEO Arshad Malik, the pilot was told that both runways were at his disposal to land However, the pilot decided to do a go-around. “As to Why he decided to do that, we will find out,” said Malik as he was boarding a flight to Karachi.
The spokesperson added that it was premature to attribute any technical fault in the plane.
Although PIA spokesperson then mentioned that the airline was receiving information in real time. Before the crash, the pilot said, “Both our engines are failed” and the “Mayday Maday!” distress call.
GEO TV has reported that there have been survivors in the crash including the Bank of Punjab Chairman Zafar Masood. The plane hit the ground from the tail-part thereby decreasing the aircraft’s momentum leaving the front part and its passengers there to sustain less damage.
However, the Mayor of Karachi has gone on record to say that all 107 people on board died.