Pakistan plane with 99 on board crashes in Karachi, at least 3 survivors

Karachi, May 22: At least 57 people were killed when a Pakistan International Airlines plane with 99 people on board crashed into a densely populated residential area near the Jinnah International Airport here on Friday, officials said, nearly a week after the COVID-19-induced air travel restrictions were lifted by the government.

According to reports, flight PK-8303 took off from Lahore's Allama Iqbal International Airport and crashed in Model Colony, approximately 4 kilometers away from the airport.

Sindh Health Minister Azra Pechuho and rescue officials confirmed that 57 dead bodies have been recovered so far from the site of the crash.

"But we are still to determine whether these 57 people were all on board the flight or include area residents as a number of houses have been badly damaged by the aircraft when it crashed," she said.

The CAA sources said that its communication with the plane was cut off one minute before its landing. Several houses have been damaged in the area where the aircraft crashed.

Smoke can be seen rising from the crash site.

According to Pakistani media, the plane crashed in an area near Model Colony where there is a human population. Meanwhile, electricity has been cut off in the area.

A statement by the Pakistan Army's media wing Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said that Army Quick Reaction Force and Sindh Pakistan Rangers reached the spot for carrying out rescue and relief operations alongside civil administration.

Minister of Health and Population Welfare has declared emergency in all major hospitals of Karachi after the incident, Dawn news quoted Meeran Yousuf, the media coordinator to the Sindh health minister, as saying.