Routine mission goes wrong: Pilot dies as PAF aircraft crashes near Gadap

No civilian casualties occurred after Mirage jet crashed 30 miles away from Karachi

KARACHI: A Pakistan Air Force (PAF) pilot died Friday evening when his Mirage aircraft crashed 30 miles away from the city near Gadap. The aircraft was on a routine training mission.

Upon crashing, the plane exploded and caught fire. The incident occurred away from residential and commercial area and the flames could be seen from some distance.

Following the incident, the area was surrounded by law enforcement agencies as well as officials and personnel of the PAF while fire tenders and ambulances from different welfare organisations were immediately dispatched for the rescue and relief operation. Helicopters were also called on for relief work.

A PAF spokesperson confirmed that it was a Mirage aircraft. “The pilot of the aircraft Squadron Leader Tanvir Ahmed embraced Shahadat in the tragic crash,” he said.  “No loss of civilian life and property has been reported on ground.” A board of inquiry, ordered by the Air Headquarters, was formed to determine the cause of accident.

Earlier District Malir police chief SSP Rao Anwar confirmed the news about the aircraft crash in the area, saying that human body parts were also found at the crash site.

Sources said that the incident occurred when the aircraft of the PAF was on its way to return to PAF-Base Masroor when it crashed due to technical faults.

On July 3 this year, at least four people were killed when a training aircraft of PAF crashed near an inter-city bus terminal in Baldia Town due to technical faults. Earlier, the two planes had been completely destroyed after they crashed in Karachi in November 2010.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 22^nd, 2014.