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Pakistan International Airlines Flight 8303

Coordinates: 24°54′42″N 67°11′16″E / 24.91167°N 67.18778°E / 24.91167; 67.18778
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Pakistan International Airlines Flight 8303
File:AP-BLD PIA A320 at DAC (25144492685).jpg
AP-BLD, the aircraft involved in the accident, in 2016.
Crash
Date22 May 2020
SummaryCrashed on final approach; under investigation
SiteNear Jinnah International Airport, Karachi, Pakistan
24°54′42″N 67°11′16″E / 24.91167°N 67.18778°E / 24.91167; 67.18778
Aircraft
Aircraft typeAirbus A320-214[1]
OperatorPakistan International Airlines
IATA flight No.PK8303
ICAO flight No.PIA8303
Call signPakistan 8303
RegistrationAP-BLD
Flight originAllama Iqbal International Airport, Lahore, Pakistan
DestinationJinnah International Airport, Karachi, Pakistan
Passengers91[2]
Crew8[3]
Survivors3 (reported)

Pakistan International Airlines 8303 was a scheduled domestic flight from Allama Iqbal International Airport in Lahore to Jinnah International Airport in Karachi. On 22 May 2020, the Airbus A320 crashed in a densely-populated residential area of Karachi named Model Colony.[4] The number of those onboard was initially unclear,[5] but it was believed to be carrying between 90[6] and 99 passengers[7]—and more crew.[4]

Aircraft

The aircraft was an Airbus A320-214,[1] which was built in 2004 and operated by China Eastern Airlines as B-6017 between 2004 and 2014. Pakistan International Airlines then leased the aircraft from GE Capital Aviation Services on October 31, 2014, with registration "AP-BLD".[8][9]

Crash

The flight, piloted by Captain Sajjad Gul,[10] was near the end of its 90-minute journey,[5] when it crashed at around 2.45 p.m. local time (0945 UTC)[11][12] over the neighborhood of Model Colony[5] around 3 kilometres (1.9 miles) from the airport.[13] The crash damaged buildings in the area,[4] some of which caught fire.[14]

It appears that the pilot radioed air traffic control (ATC) to report technical problems—an engine failure[11] or landing gear problems.[5] Shortly before contact was lost, ATC told the pilot that he had two available runways at his disposal.[11][14] According to PIA's executive officer, "the pilot told the control room that there was a technical issue and he decided to go around rather than land even though two runways were ready for landing".[15] The pilot reportedly told the controller, "we are returning back, sir, we have lost engines". 12 seconds later he issued a Mayday alert.[16]

Early reports suggested that the narrow streets and alleys comprising the area inhibited the rescue services.[5] ISPR—the media wing of Pakistani military—reported that special forces were in the area and had set up a cordon;[5] they included Pakistan Army and Pakistan Rangers.[10] Some video footage was captured of the scene of the crash.[11] Footage, from GEO TV, was described as showing[14] "an emergency crew trying to reach the scene through rubble, with flames still visible in the background. Others showed huge clouds of black smoke billowing up between tightly packed buildings in the residential neighborhood."[14]

Victims

Passengers by nationality
Nationality Passenger Crew Total
Pakistani 90[17] 8[17] 98[17]
American 1[17] 0[17] 1[17]
Total 91 8 99

Pakistan International Airlines released details of the flight manifest which shows 91 passengers, 51 men, 31 women and 9 children, from two nations.[17]

A number of casualties were reported as being residents of Model Colony.[18]

The city's mayor, Wasim Akhtar said that there had been no onboard survivors,[18][19][20] but one passenger was reported as having been contactable by his family after the crash, according to Al Jazeera,[12] while officials later announced that at least two survivors had been found.[20] One of these survivors was reported to be Zafar Masud, chief executive of the Bank of Punjab.[21][22] Among the known passengers was Ansar Naqvi, director of Programming for Pakistan's 24 News HD; 24News announced that Naqvi had not survived.[23]

Aftermath

The Minister of Health declared a state of emergency for Karachi's hospitals, while Prime Minister Imran Khan ordered all available resources to the crash site, as did the chief of the Air Force.[15] Khan also announced an inquiry,[24] while the PIA was reported at having shut down its website.[18]

Although there were no early reports of casualties, the President, Arif Alvi, tweeted condolences "to the families of the deceased".[14]

Pakistan had allowed international flights to resume, following suspension during the COVID-19 pandemic, only a few days earlier[7] on 16 May.[5][note 1] Due to last days of Ramadan, many people were expected to travel in order to celebrate Eid al-Fitr with their families.[11] The coronavirus pandemic had already stretched the Pakistani health system.[18]

Notes

  1. ^ All flights had been suspended on 29 March;[5] International flights were not to resume until 1 June 2020.[25]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Zulfikar, Fahad (22 May 2020). "PIA plane, carrying 99 passengers and 8 crew members, crashes in Karachi's Jinnah Garden area". Business Recorder. Retrieved 22 May 2020.
  2. ^ "PK8303 Crisis Statement Page". Airbus.com. 22 May 2020. Retrieved 22 May 2020.
  3. ^ Welle (www.dw.com), Deutsche. "Pakistani passenger jet crashes near Karachi airport | DW | 22.05.2020". DW.COM. Retrieved 22 May 2020.
  4. ^ a b c Welle (www.dw.com), Deutsche. "Pakistani passenger jet crashes near Karachi airport | DW | 22.05.2020". DW.COM.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h "Airbus jet crashes near Pakistan airport". The Independent. 22 May 2020.
  6. ^ "Pakistan plane crash: Pakistan International Airlines' Lahore-Karachi flight crashes near Karachi Airport". timesnownews.com.
  7. ^ a b Pakistan International Airlines passenger plane crashes in Karachi BBC News Retrieved 22 May 2020
  8. ^ "Pakistan plane crashes near Karachi, all 107 killed". Economic Times. Retrieved 22 May 2020.
  9. ^ "AP-BLD PIA Pakistan International Airlines Airbus A320-214". www.planespotters.net. Retrieved 22 May 2020.
  10. ^ a b "Pakistan plane crash: Pakistan plane with 107 on board crashes in residential area in Karachi; several feared dead | World News - Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 22 May 2020.
  11. ^ a b c d e Ellis-Petersen, Hannah (22 May 2020). "Pakistani passenger plane crashes near Karachi" – via The Guardian.
  12. ^ a b "Pakistan passenger plane crashes in southern city of Karachi". Aljazeera.
  13. ^ "Plane crashes into residential area in Pakistan". The West Australian. 22 May 2020.
  14. ^ a b c d e "Scores feared dead as passenger jet crashes in Pakistan". CBS News.
  15. ^ a b Hassan, Tahir Naseer | Dawn com | Qazi (22 May 2020). "PIA A320 crashes in Model Colony near Karachi airport; rescue operation underway". DAWN.COM.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  16. ^ "Pakistan plane crash: At least two survivors after aircraft carrying 98 people crashes in Karachi". Sky News. Retrieved 22 May 2020.
  17. ^ a b c d e f g "Flight Manifest". Geo TV. Retrieved 22 May 2020.
  18. ^ a b c d "At least 100 killed and buildings destroyed as Airbus jet comes down near Karachi airport". The Independent. 22 May 2020.
  19. ^ "Pakistan plane crash: 'No survivors' after aircraft carrying around 100 people crashes in Karachi". Sky News.
  20. ^ a b "Pakistan plane crash: 'Two survivors' after aircraft carrying around 100 people crashes in Karachi". Sky News.
  21. ^ "At least 1 passenger SURVIVES Pakistani plane crash – local media". RT International. Retrieved 22 May 2020.
  22. ^ "Watch Zafar Masood being pulled from PIA plane crash wreckage | SAMAA". Samaa TV. Retrieved 22 May 2020.
  23. ^ India Today Web Desk (22 May 2020). "Pakistan plane crash: 34 dead as plane with 99 onboard crashes in residential area in Karachi". Retrieved 22 May 2020.
  24. ^ DelhiMay 22, India Today Web Desk New; May 22, 2020UPDATED:; Ist, 2020 17:45. "Pakistan plane crash: Lahore-Karachi plane with 99 onboard crashes in residential area near Karachi airport". India Today. {{cite web}}: |first3= has numeric name (help)CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  25. ^ CNN, Sophia Saifi. "Pakistan passenger flight crashes in Karachi". CNN. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
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