More than 100 people have died after a passenger plane crashed into a residential area near the southern port city of Karachi, according to the country’s civil aviation authority.
There were no immediate reports on the number of casualties, however it has now been confirmed at all 107 people on board have died.
The aircraft arriving from the eastern city of Lahore was carrying 99 passengers and eight crew members, Abdul Sattar Kokhar said.
Witnesses said the Airbus A320 appeared to attempt to land two or three times before crashing in a residential area near Jinnah International Airport.
The residential area on the edge of the airport, known as Model Colony, is a poor area and densely inhabited.
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A resident, Abdul Rahman, said he saw the aircraft circle at least three times, appearing to try to land at the airport before it crashed into several houses.
Police and soldiers have cordoned off the area.
Prime minister Imran Khan tweeted: “Shocked & saddened by the PIA crash. . . Immediate inquiry will be instituted. Prayers & condolences go to families of the deceased.”
Local television reports showed smoke coming from the direction of the airport and video of the plane flying low over a residential area seemed to show flames shooting from one of the engines.
Ambulances were on their way to the airport and there were reports of some injuries, possibly residents on the ground.
The flight typically takes an hour and a half to travel from Lahore, the capital of Pakistan’s most populous Punjab province, to Karachi.
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Airworthiness documents showed the plane last received a government check on November 1.
PIA’s chief engineer signed a separate certificate on April 28 saying all maintenance had been conducted on the plane and it was “fully airworthy and meets all the safety” standards.
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