Miracle escape: Zafar Masood, Chairman of Punjab Bank, survives in PIA plane crash in Karachi
Two passengers including Masood miraculously rescued alive by the residents
Dubai: It is a miracle. two people including a Lahore-based banker Zafar Masood survived the fatal PIA plane crash in Karachi, family members confirmed.
"So far i can confirm that two passengers on board the PIA plane have miraculously survived the crash. Their names are Zafar Masood and Mohhammad Zubair. Both are in stable condition. Keep praying for others," tweeted Sindh government spokesperson Murtaza Wahab.
Masood who was recently appointed as Chairman of the Punjab Bank was travelling in the ill-fated PIA flight PK-8303 from Lahore to Karachi. The aircraft crashed on residential area of Model Colony just before landing due to reported technical fault. Initial information revealed that cause of the plane crash was engine failure. According to initial reports, some 99 passengers including eight crew members were on board the plane.
A video broadcast by the television channel showed injured Masood being rescued by the residents in the area. He was later taken to a local hospital. Doctors confirmed that Masood suffered from multiple fracture but he is out of danger.
A family member confirms
Family sources also confirmed that Masood miraculously survived. His brother was with him in the hospital. Masood who has more than 27 years of experience as an international banker was appointed Chairman of the Punjab Bank on March 17, 2020. He had also served on the board at Barclays Bank of Zimbabwe Ltd.
Survival's statement
The survivor of the plane crash also gave a statement in which he said that the plane started jolting heavily while it was approaching for landing. “The next moment there was a hard crash and I lost consciousness,” said Zubair, one of the surviors. He said there was smoke everywhere when woke up." The hospital administration said that Zubair escaped minor injuries and is currently undertreatment at the burns ward.
Initially reports indicated that tail of the plane hit the ground first and this might have less impact on passengers sitting in the business class of the aircraft.