KARACHI, July 14: PIA’s London-bound flight PK-787 had to make an emergency landing at Tehran airport after a passenger, Afsheen Akram, a British national, suffered a severe heart attack.

The flight, piloted by Capt Mian Naveed, had taken off from Quaid-i-Azam International airport, Karachi, at 12.15pm.

When the plane was in the Iranian airspace, a passenger named Mrs Akram, who was travelling with her 3-year-old daughter and a cousin, suffered a heart attack.

On the recommendation of three doctors among the passengers, the captain sought permission from the Iranian authorities to land at Tehran airport, which was granted forthwith.

After landing at 13.41 (Iran time) as the Mrs Akram, was being brought out of the plane, she died.

The Pakistan embassy in Tehran was informed of the woman’s death and within hours all formalities were completed, and the plane took off again for London at 17.45 (Iran time) with Mrs Akram’s aboard, but this time in the hold.

Afsheen and her husband Akram live in England and were on holidays in Pakistan. The husband stayed back, and Afsheen decided to leave for London ahead of him.

Afsheen’s father, Zafar Ali, who also lives in London, was informed of her daughter’s death and would receive her body. —APP