Karachi: A Pakistan International Airline (PIL) passenger plane crashed near the Jinnah International Airport in Karachi on Friday, one minute before landing.
According to reports, PIA Airbus A320 from Lahore was about to land in Karachi when it crashed at the Jinnah Garden area near Model Colony in Malir.
However, there is no information on number of casualties and injured in the incident.
There are reports that at least five homes and some vehicles have been destroyed during the crash incident.
It is reportedly said that its communication with the plane one minute before its landing was cut off. It is estimated that 91 passengers were aboard the flight, 85 in economy class while six were in business class.
Dark plumes of smoke seen near the crash site. #PIA #ModelColony #MalirCantt #Karachi pic.twitter.com/bLBCmG1dXf
— Yusra Askari (@YusraSAskari) May 22, 2020
The Pakistan Army Quick Reaction Force & Pakistan Rangers Sindh troops arrived at the crash site shortly to assist the civil administration in relief and rescue efforts.
Rescue officials and law enforcement agencies have reached the crash site and started rescue operation. Meanwhile, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has declared an emergency at the airport after the incident.
News agency PTI said Sindh’s Ministry of Health and Population Welfare has declared emergency in all major hospitals of Karachi due to the plane crash.
It’s the second plane crash for Pakistani carrier in less than four years. The airline’s chairman resigned in late 2016, less than a week after the crash of an ATR-42 aircraft killed 47 people. The incident comes as Pakistan was slowly resuming domestic flights in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, Bloomberg reported
