A Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) passenger plane flying from Lahore has crashed into a residential area of Karachi.

The pilots of flight PK8303, an Airbus A320 carrying 91 passengers and eight crew, were attempting to land at the city’s Jinnah International Airport.

The plane had attempted one landing but as it went round again lost its engines and issued a mayday call.

Investigators will try to retrieve the so-called black box recorders to help determine the cause. A committee of investigation has already been set up.

At least two passengers are confirmed to have survived the crash.

As at the time of filing this report The Updates authoritatively gathered that 57 people were confirmed deaths but it was not clear how many of the dead were passengers and how many residents on the ground.

Zafar Masud, president of the Bank of Punjab, was among the passengers who survived the crash, a provincial government spokesman said. The other known survivor was named as Muhammad Zubair.

A senior journalist at TV channel 24 News, Ansar Naqvi, was also listed on the passenger manifest.

An eyewitness Mohammed Uzair Khan said he had heard a massive sound and went outside his home. “Almost four houses were completely collapsed, there was so much fire and smoke,” he said. “They are almost my neighbours, I can’t tell you what a horrible thing it was.”

Another resident, Dr. Kanwal Nazim, said she heard people screaming and saw clouds of black smoke rising from the three houses adjoining a mosque.

The crash came just days after Pakistan began allowing commercial flights to resume after a coronavirus lockdown.

Pakistanis across the country are preparing to celebrate the end of Ramadan, with many travelling back to their homes in cities and villages.

Recall Pakistan government only lifted the ban on commercial flights a few days ago but this ill-fated crash.

DETAILS: ,https://theupdates.net/dozens-die-as-pakistan-jet-hits-homes-in-karachi/

Rip. In this tough corona time.

Death everywhere