Karachi plane crash survivor travels with PIA again

KARACHI : The miraculous plane crash survivor in Karachi, Zafar Masud, has expressed confidence over Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) by travelling through the national carrier again after recovering health. The president of Punjab Bank, Zafar Masud, who is one of the two survivors of PK-8303 plane crash in Karachi on May 22, departed to Lahore from Karachi through PIA’s flight number PK-304. He underwent medical treatment while staying in Karachi for the last four months. Masud was warmly welcomed by the station manager, staff and flight attendants after he reached the Karachi airport. Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) Flight 8303 was en-route to Karachi from Allama Iqbal International Airport in Lahore in Pakistan. On 22 May 2020, the Airbus A320 had crashed in model colony moments shy from its landing. Of the 91 passengers and 8 crew on board the aircraft (99 total onboard), 97 were killed, and two passengers survived with injuries. Eight people on the ground were also injured in the accident, and one of them later died from their injuries. Zubair is one of only two victims to have survived the unfortunate Friday’s fatal crash with the only other survivor being Zafar Masud, a bank executive of the Bank of Punjab. When PK8303, an Airbus A320 from Lahore to Karachi, began to shake violently, Zubair said he thought it was just turbulence. The pilot then announced on the intercom that the landing could be “troublesome.” “Suddenly the plane jerked violently, once and then again,” he said. Moments later, as it approached the international airport, the plane crashed into an overcrowded residential neighbourhood of Karachi known as Model Colony. “I saw so much smoke and fire. I heard people crying, children crying,” Zubair said. The survivor managed to crawl his way out of the rubble and smoke and was eventually rushed to a hospital. He had suffered burns but was in a stable condition.