PIA flight avoids mishap, lands safely at Karachi airport

National carrier launches an investigation, claims aircraft was fit prior to take-off

KARACHI:

A domestic flight of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) from Gwadar to Karachi on Tuesday avoided a mishap after it landed at Jinnah International Airport with at least one damaged tyre. 

According to airport authorities in Gwadar, the tyre of PK504 suffered damage during take off, with sources claiming that tyre fragments were found on the runway. 

However, with around 60 passengers on board, the pilot managed to land the aircraft at Karachi airport safely. The Franco-Italian manufactured ATR aircraft bore the registration number AP-BKK. 

A follow-on flight by the aircraft from Karachi to Sukkur was cancelled by the national carrier due to the plane having damaged tyres.

According to a PIA spokesperson, there had been no problem with the tyre during the check prior to the flight and the pilot had a normal landing at Karachi airport.

Read PIA to re-auction grounded ATR plane

He maintained that an investigation has been launched into the matter.

Two years pass since PIA crash

Two years have passed since PIA had its worst plane crash in history in which 97 people including eight crew members lost their lives while two passengers were lucky to survive.

The PIA flight had left on Jumatul Wida, the last Friday of Ramazan, from Lahore for Karachi and crashed in Model Colony close to the landing near Karachi Airport Quaid-e-Azam International Terminal.