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Pakistani airliner crashes near Karachi airport with 107 aboard
By Susannah George
May 22, 2020
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — A passenger plane with 107 people on board crashed near the Karachi airport, Pakistani civil aviation said. It is unclear whether there were any survivors on the Pakistan International Airlines flight, officials said.
The Airbus A320 plane was carrying 99 passengers and 8 crew.
The Pakistani army dispatched search and rescue teams, including helicopters to the scene.
Images and video uploaded to social media showed thick plumes of black smoke rising from what appeared to be the crash site in a residential area.
The plane was traveling from Lahore to Karachi and crashed as it began to land at the Karachi airport, according to a civil aviation statement.
Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan issued a statement shortly after reports of the crash began to emerge. He said he expressed his deep sorrow and grief over the lives lost and directed all relevant departments to extend relief, rescue efforts and medical aid to injured. He also ordered an immediate investigation into the crash.
The Eid holiday marking the end of Ramadan is set to begin this weekend. It is a time when Pakistanis traditionally travel to visit distant relatives.
Witnesses said the airliner appeared to attempt to land two or three times before crashing in a residential area near Jinnah International Airport, the Associated Press reported. Known as Model Colony, the residential area on the edge of the airport is a poor, heavily congested area.
A resident, Abdul Rahman, said he saw the aircraft circle at least three times, appearing to try to land before it crashed into several houses, according to the AP.
The area was cordoned off by police and military personnel, and firefighters sprayed water on smoldering wreckage.
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Susannah George is The Washington Post's Afghanistan and Pakistan bureau chief. She previously headed the Associated Press’s Baghdad bureau and covered national security and intelligence from the AP’s Washington bureau. Follow
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