Pakistani plane ‘jolted’ thrice before crash: Survivor

Islamabad/Karachi, May 23

The PIA airplane was flying very “smoothly” however whereas trying to land, it “jolted” thrice after which the pilot “adroitly lifted” the plane off the bottom, solely to crash moments later, recounts Muhammad Zubair, one of many simply two passengers who miraculously survived the fiery crash.

Zubair, 24, was amongst 99 passengers on board the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) Airbus A-320 plane that plunged right into a densely populated residential space close to the airport right here on Friday, killing 97 folks, together with 9 youngsters.

Flight PK-8303 from Lahore crashed on the Jinnah Garden space close to Model Colony in Malir on Friday afternoon, minutes earlier than its scheduled touchdown in Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport. Eleven folks on the bottom had been injured.

“The plane was coming very smoothly, 8303 of PIA. My seat was 8F. When it was reaching Jinnah International Airport, the pilot announced that ‘we are landing, fasten your seat belts’. We fastened seat belts. While landing, the plane jolted three times. Then it came on the runway and was on it for a brief time. Then I don’t know what happened, that the pilot adroitly lifted the plane off the ground,” Zubair, who’s being handled for burns in a hospital in Karachi, mentioned.

“The pilot then flew the plane for 10 or 15 minutes. He again announced that the plane was landing. When this announcement was made, I looked down and it appeared to me that we were (flying) over the Malir Cantonment (area, where it was to land. Then when it was about to land, suddenly (it crashed),” he mentioned.

“When I opened my eyes it was a dark place. I heard cries. I saw some light and tried to walk towards it after undoing my seat belt. There was fire everywhere and no one was visible,” mentioned Zubair from his hospital mattress in a video clip circulated on social media.

He mentioned when the airplane had jolts everybody onboard was reciting Quranic verses.

Zubair additionally gave a press release on Friday through which he mentioned that the airplane began wobbling because it approached Karachi airport.

“The next moment there was a hard crash and I lost consciousness,” mentioned Zubair, including that when he wakened there was ‘smoke everywhere’.

The hospital administration mentioned that Zubair sustained minor accidents and is at the moment beneath remedy on the burns ward.

The solely different survivor of the crash was Bank of Punjab (BoP) Chief Executive Officer Zafar Masud.

He spoke to his mom on the telephone and knowledgeable her about his well being.

“As the plane was heading for landing, it hit something and I fell unconscious. When I regained consciousness, I heard people saying ‘yeh zinda hai (he is alive)’. After getting treatment in hospital I spoke to my mother by phone and told her that I am well,” Masud was quoted as having mentioned by a health care provider.

“Mr Masud departed for Karachi to celebrate Eid with his family. We all at the BoP family are happy that he miraculously survived. He is out of danger and being treated at a Karachi hospital,” mentioned BoP spokesman Asad Zia.

“Reached hospital and met Zafar Masud. It is a miracle he survived the crash he fell out of the plane after it broke into pieces. He was rescued by residents and brought to CMH Malir. He is undergoing tests. May Allah give him health,” Senate Vice-Chairman Saleem Mandviwalla tweeted.

Masud sustained fractures to his hip and collar bones, the Darul Sehat Hospital’s administration mentioned, including that there have been no burn marks on his physique, however solely scratches.

According to the hospital administration, Masud’s CT scan has been completed and his situation is out of hazard. PTI