An aircraft from Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) carrying 99 passengers and eight crew members crashed at a residential area in Karachi on Friday, May 22.
Pakistan immediately mobilized paramilitary troops and civil administration authorities to aid and rescue the passengers.
“The plane crashed in Karachi. We are trying to confirm the number of passengers but initially it is 99 passengers and eight crew members,” said Pakistan Aviation Authority spokesperson Abdul Sattar Khokhar, who explained that the plane’s point of origin was Lahore.
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Videos and photos on social media showed that the plane crashed at a residential area, creating huge black fumes of smoke.
Pakistan resumed commercial flights last May 16 but updates from the PIA website states that it has suspended regular domestic flight operations until May 29, along with international flight operations until May 31.
It’s PIA PK303 @airbus A320 which has gone down on a residential area of model colony short of Karachi airport. The wreckage and several homes are on fire. Prayers for everyone but this is painfully sad. pic.twitter.com/ZPWjz1BZTt
— Fakhr-e-Alam (@falamb3) May 22, 2020