Pakistan airline plane crash lands

A Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight with 205 people on board crash landed at Dubai International Airport yesterday early morning when part of its landing gear collapsed.

Flight PK231 from Islamabad via Peshawar veered off the side of the runway after the wheels on the right-hand side of the Airbus A300 gave way as it touched down at 2.09 am. The aircraft skidded along the ground and eventually came to rest in sand 50 metres from the runway.

A Dubai Civil Aviation Authority spokeswoman said 21 of the 193 passengers and 12 crew sustained minor injuries and were taken to the airport's medical centre for treatment, but were released shortly afterwards.

The incident caused the closure of the airport for over four hours, with 16 incoming flights having to be diverted to neighbouring airports in Sharjah, Abu Dhabi and Muscat, while departing flights were subject to delays.

The second runway at Dubai airport, which has been undergoing essential maintenance work and is due to be reopened on October 22, was brought into service temporarily and the airport reopened at 6.29 am with the departure of a Cathay Pacific flight.