-Airbus experts visit crash site
-Initial reports suggest engine failure
-PIA officials vow all possible assistance in quest for finding incident main reason
-While, DNA tests of victims expected to complete within 10 days
-Governor Sindh declares relief for package for those who became victim to crash incident
-Governor further asks citizens to avoid speculations on inquiry reports
From Zeeshan Mirza
Karachi: Airbus experts on Tuesday initiated a probe into last week’s plane crash that killed 97 people when a Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) Airbus A-320 went down in a crowded neighbourhood near Karachi airport. Initial reports suggest the jet crashed after an apparent engine failure.
Aviation authorities said on Tuesday they have shared their initial findings with the visiting 11-member team from the European plane maker.
The Airbus experts and engineers also visited the crash site of flight PK-8303, where they were given a briefing by officials of the Aircraft Accident Investigation Board, Radio Pakistan reported.
“We are providing all possible assistance to the technical experts of Airbus,” said Abdul Hafeez, a spokesperson for PIA. Only two people on board survived the crash, including Zafar Masood, a bank executive. The flight took off from Lahore and crashed on Friday while trying to land at Jinnah International Airport.
The plane made failed attempts to land at the Karachi airport before the crash. Authorities found the plane’s black box and have been guarding the crash site to facilitate the probe.
On the ground, 18 homes were damaged but no one was killed, mainly because the local residents were gathered at nearby mosques at the time, officials had said. Eight people on the ground were injured.
So far, authorities have handed over 41 bodies to their families, Hafeez said, adding that DNA tests were underway to identify the remains of the other victims. The plane last received a government check last November. PIA’s chief engineer signed a separate certificate on April 28, confirming all maintenance had been conducted. -Airbus has said the two-engine plane had logged 47,100 flight hours and 25,860 flights as of last Friday. The crash took place days after the government allowed resumption of domestic flights ahead of Eidul Fitr. Many of the passengers aboard the flight were families returning home for the holiday.
Pakistan has been in a countrywide partial lockdown since mid-March because of the coronavirus, and when flights resumed last week, every other seat was left vacant to ensure social distancing.
While, Sindh Information Minister Nasir Hussain Shah said on Tuesday that the DNA tests of the victims of crashed PIA’s PK-8303 will be completed within 10 days, media reported. Nasir Hussain Shah, while addressing a press conference alongside the Sindh minister Saeed Ghani, said that the local administration had timely responded the crash incident as rescue activities were immediately begun at the site. He said that the personnel of armed forces and Rangers had fully supported the police forces in the rescue operation. Shah said that Eidul Fitr was observed with simplicity due to coronavirus pandemic and PIA plane crash incident. The minister added that the DNA reports will be handed over to the families of the victims within 10 days. Regarding the COVID-19 situation, Nasir Hussain Shah said that the public should continue following the precautionary guidelines for more days.
Saeed Ghani said that they were going meet families of the plane crash victims for condolence.
He alleged that the responsible people in the PK-8303 crash incident was not held accountable.
He said that the provincial ministers were now visiting hospitals to meet the wounded people and also in contact with the relatives of the women received burn wounds.
Meanwhile, Governor Sindh Imran Ismail on Tuesday said that the federal government would bear expense for construction of homes damaged in the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) plane crash incident.
“Prime Minister Imran Khan has issued special directives in this regard,” said the governor as he visited the Civil Hospital Burns Ward to inquire after those injured in the incident.
