A Pakistan International Airlines plane has crashed in Karachi on a flight from Lahore, aviation officials say.
The plane, which was reported to be carrying 90 passengers, was flying from Lahore to Jinnah International Airport, one of Pakistan’s busiest airports.
Pictures shared on social media show smoke rising from the crash site, a residential area.
According to the Civil Aviation Authority, PIA flight PK-8303 from Lahore was about to land in Karachi when it crashed in the Jinnah Garden area near Model Colony in Malir.
Reports pouring in say that PIA’s plane from Lahore to Karachi was carrying 85 passengers in economy class and 6 in first class. It also had 7 crew members onboard
CAA sources said that its communication was cut off with the plane a minute before it was supposed to land.
Troops form the Pakistan Army’s Quick Reaction Force and Pakistan Rangers Sindh arrived at the crash site shortly after to assist the civil administration in relief and rescue efforts.
PIA’s plane from Lahore to Karachi was carrying 85 passengers in economy class and 6 in first class. It also has 7 crew members onboard
Several houses were damaged in the area where the plane crashed.
Ambulances were faced with difficulty as the streets were quite narrow and the huge presence of people made it difficult for relief operations to continue.