KARACHI, June 17: A PIA Jumbo 747, flying from New York to Karachi, was grounded for over 30 hours after one of its engine covers fell off as it landed at Manchester Airport.

A PIA spokesman said the PK-722, carrying 289 passengers and two dead bodies, was scheduled to reach here at 10:30pm on Thursday. “It will now land at 7:30am on Saturday,” he said. The spokesman said a team of airline’s engineer was immediately sent to Manchester by PK-715, while the passengers were put up in hotels.

He said the plane was also carrying the bodies of Anwar Kishwar and Syed Sajid Ali Shah of Lahore from New York.

Meanwhile, sources said the cowling of the PIA Jumbo 747 became detached as it landed on one of the runways at Manchester Airport. “It was spotted by the pilot of a British Airways’ plane, which was about to take off.”