PESHAWAR, Jan 23: A PIA Airbus overshot the runway and plunged into adjacent muddy ground on Friday morning, resulting in suspension of domestic and international flights at the Peshawar International Airport for two days.
The Civil Aviation Authority and PIA had to seek the help of the Pakistan Army for retrieving the plane. The army and airforce jointly pulled out the plane after a four-hour long operation on Sunday morning, after which the airport was opened.
The flight PK 7302, with about 196 passengers on board, was coming from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, when amidst downpour it overshot the runway and skidded off. No casualty occurred during the incident.
Eyewitnesses claimed that the plane also hit the safety barrier at the end of the runway. Fire brigades and ambulances were called for meeting any emergency. A large number of people gathered on University Road to witness the stranded plane.
The PIA and CAA officials said the immediate reason for the incident was not known. They added that an inquiry was under way following which it could be ascertained whether it was due to human error.
According to a press release of the ISPR issued on Sunday, the plane overshot the runway at 10.33am and the efforts of the CAA and PIA failed to bear fruit following which the Pakistan army's help was sought on Saturday night.
The army started its 'Operation Safe Airbus' at 10.00pm during which various units participated. The operation was supervised by PAF base commander Air Commodore Safdar Khan Malik, Lt-Col Khalil Dar of army aviation, Lt-Col Shahid of electrical and mechanical engineering and Lt-Col Asif of the armoured corps.
