Sialkot-bound plane makes emergency landing in Lahore
Flight number PK369, with 73 passengers on board, was en route from Karachi to Sialkot.
LAHORE:
A Sialkot-bound Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) Air Bus A-310, made an emergency landing at the Lahore airport early Saturday morning due to poor weather conditions in central Punjab.
PIA flight Pk-396 was on its way from Karachi to Sialkot with about 73 passengers onboard when, just before entering the Sialkot boundary, the captain of the aircraft was directed to turn the airplane around and make a landing at the Lahore airport as weather conditions in Sialkot were not suitable for landing.
When the pilot diverted the aircraft towards Lahore, the plane was hit by lightning, tripping its navigation system, sources said. However the system resumed shortly and the flight landed safely at the Lahore airport around 3 AM without any damage. After inspection no fault was reported with the airplane. The PIA spokesperson denied that the aircraft was hit by lightning, saying the flight had only been diverted to Lahore due to bad weather.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 8th, 2012.
A Sialkot-bound Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) Air Bus A-310, made an emergency landing at the Lahore airport early Saturday morning due to poor weather conditions in central Punjab.
PIA flight Pk-396 was on its way from Karachi to Sialkot with about 73 passengers onboard when, just before entering the Sialkot boundary, the captain of the aircraft was directed to turn the airplane around and make a landing at the Lahore airport as weather conditions in Sialkot were not suitable for landing.
When the pilot diverted the aircraft towards Lahore, the plane was hit by lightning, tripping its navigation system, sources said. However the system resumed shortly and the flight landed safely at the Lahore airport around 3 AM without any damage. After inspection no fault was reported with the airplane. The PIA spokesperson denied that the aircraft was hit by lightning, saying the flight had only been diverted to Lahore due to bad weather.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 8th, 2012.