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Today's Paper | May 14, 2024

Published 14 Mar, 2006 12:00am

PIA Jumbo’s take-off aborted after accident

ISLAMABAD, March 13: A Boeing 747 of Pakistan International Airline, with 113 people aboard, was grounded after a Shaheen Airport Service coach rammed into it and damaged one of its engines at the Islamabad International Airport on Monday.

There were two infants among the passengers, all of whom were unhurt.

A spokesman of the airline, however, said that an investigation team was due from Karachi and as part of the preliminary inquiry, statements of pilot Naeem Razaq and coaster’s driver Mohammad Naseer had been recorded.

The authorities said that the plane, on a flight to London, was taxiing for take-off at 11:40am when the coaster rammed into its engine No4.

The engine and the windscreen of the coaster were damaged in the accident.

The coaster’s driver, who is said to be an ex-armyman, was returning after dropping passengers for another plane when his vehicle rammed into the aircraft. The passengers on board and the driver were unhurt.

A Shaheen Airport Service official said that the driver, apparently could not judge the distance between the plane and his vehicle because of heavy rain.

The passengers were moved to another plane which took off at 2:10pm.

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