A national airline flight from Lahore to Jeddah narrowly escaped a potential major accident when a bird hit the plane during flight.
According to details, PIA flight PK-859 had departed from Lahore for Jeddah, but shortly after the flight began, a bird hit the plane, causing severe damage to the plane’s windscreen.
The pilot, demonstrating extraordinary skill and presence of mind, made an emergency landing at Jinnah International Airport in Karachi.
According to sources, there were 344 passengers on board the flight, a large number of whom were Umrah pilgrims. Immediately after the accident, rescue and airport security personnel were mobilized at Karachi Airport and all passengers were safely evacuated from the plane and shifted to the airport lounge. According to a PIA spokesperson, there were no casualties in the incident and all passengers are completely safe.
Initial inspection revealed that the bird hit the front of the aircraft, causing cracks in the windscreen, and the aircraft was immediately diverted to Karachi as a precautionary measure. According to the airline, repairs to the aircraft are underway, which will be completed in about 12 hours. After the repairs, the aircraft will be allowed to fly again after clearance from the engineering team.
Officials say that the problem of birds in the airspace has been a long-standing problem, and to address it, instructions have been issued to intensify a campaign to clean up, remove noise, and remove garbage around airports.
Passengers on the affected flight are currently being accommodated in a hotel in Karachi, where they have been provided with necessary food and accommodation. Authorities say that as soon as the plane receives clearance, all passengers will be flown to Jeddah tonight.
