Pakistani Airbus A320 With 100 People Onboard Crashes in Residential Area of Karachi, Scores Dead

Report By Nandika Chand | Kashmir Srinagar | Last Updated at May 22 2020

A passenger jet with nearly 100 people onboard crashed in Pakistan’s city of Karachi sending plumes of thick black smoke into the air. Officials said the ill-fate Pakistan Internationals Airlines (PIA) flight PK8303 crashed down into houses.

A source at the Karachi Airport said the pilot had informed the control tower that one of the aircraft’s engines had failed. The control tower told the pilot that two runways were clear for landing. However, it lost communication with the crew and the aircraft crashed shortly after.

Witnesses said the plane tried to land at least a couple of times before it crashed near Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport.

The PIA Airbus A320 ob its way from Lahore to Karachi crashed into a residential area called Jinnah Gardens. Pakistan’s GEO TV shows emergency crew trying to reach the crash site through rubble. Flames are still visible in the background. The footage shows people crowding towards the scene.

Pakistani Prime Minister Imran expressed grievances saying he was shocked and saddened by the crash.

Sindh provincial health minister Azra Pechucho said about 11 bodies and six wounded people had been taken to Karachi’s main government hospital. But it remains unclear if they were passengers or people on the ground.

The incident comes days after Pakistan allowed commercial flights to resume after aircrafts were grounded amid the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown.