‘Deeply saddened’: PM Modi expresses grief over Pakistan plane crash
A Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) Karachi-bound flight from Lahore, with 107 passengers on board, was about to land when it crashed in a residential area near the Jinnah International Airport. There were no immediate reports on the number of casualties.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday condoled the loss of lives in a plane crash in Pakistan and wished a speedy recovery to those injured. There were 99 passengers on board, however, it is not clear about the number of survivors.
The Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) Karachi-bound flight from Lahore crashed in a residential area minutes before landing near the Jinnah International Airport.
“Deeply saddened by the loss of life due to a plane crash in Pakistan. Our condolences to the families of the deceased, and wishing speedy recovery to those injured,” he tweeted.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi too condoled the loss of lives in the crash and said he is praying for “miraculous stories of survival”.
“I’m sorry to hear about the air crash in Pakistan in which many lives have been lost. News of survivors is a ray of hope & I pray that there are many miraculous stories of survival tonight. My deepest condolences to the families of those who have perished,” tweeted the Congress leader.
There were no immediate reports on the number of casualties. However, Karachi mayor said that there were no survivors, according to news agency Associated Press. Several people on social media contradicted his claims.
Moments before the crash, pilot Sajjad Gul had informed air traffic controllers that he had lost an engine, according to audio tapes of his last conversation played by news channel ARY.
“We have lost an engine…. Mayday, Mayday, Mayday,” the pilot is heard calmly telling the traffic controllers who told him to land on any of the two runways that had been left open for him.
Communication between the ATC and the plane was lost soon after the pilot went for a go-around, said PIA chief executive officer Air Vice Marshal Arshad Malik.
This is the second time in less than four years that a PIA plane has crashed. The airline’s chairman resigned in late 2016, less than a week after the crash of an ATR-42 aircraft killed 47 people, news agency Bloomberg reported.
(With agency inputs)
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