KARACHI: The Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) Gwadar to Karachi flight on Tuesday survived disaster and the pilot managed a safe landing at Jinnah International Airport with one damaged tyre.
According to airport authorities in Gwadar, one of the tyres of Gwadar-Karachi flight PK504 suffered damage during takeoff. The sources claimed that fragments of the damaged tyre 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.
He maintained that an investigation has been launched into the matter.
PIA WORST PLANE CRASH
It has been two years 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-i-Azam International Terminal.
