KARACHI – A Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight from Lahore to Jeddah was forced into an emergency landing at Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport after a bird smashed into the aircraft’s windscreen shortly after takeoff, sending shockwaves through passengers and crew.
Flight PK-859, carrying 344 travelers, suffered some damage due to the collision. The pilot acted swiftly, declaring an emergency and diverted the flight to port city, ensuring the safety of everyone on board. Miraculously, no injuries were reported.
The commercial flight jet has been grounded in Karachi for urgent windscreen repairs, which are expected to take approximately 12 hours. Passengers have been relocated to a nearby hotel while awaiting the aircraft’s clearance from the Civil Aviation Authority.
Once repairs and safety checks are completed, the flight is anticipated to depart late tonight or early tomorrow morning. PIA is actively communicating updated departure details to passengers via SMS and email.
The incident underscores the unpredictable dangers of air travel, highlighting both the risks posed by bird strikes and the importance of rapid response by flight crews to ensure passenger safety.
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