MUMBAI, India (CU)_ On Tuesday, due to a medical emergency, the IndiGo flight travelling from Sharjah to Lucknow made an emergency landing at Jinnah Terminal International Airport, Karachi, Pakistan. According to the officials, the passenger who had a medical emergency could not be rescued and was pronounced dead upon arrival at the Karachi airport.
According to an official from Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority, the landing permission was issued to the Captain of the Lucknow-bound IndiGo flight 6E1412 following a medical emergency in the aircraft as the 67-year-old elderly passenger named Habib ur Rehman became seriously ill. The official said, “The passenger unfortunately expired on the plane even though the Indian aircraft was given permission to land at the Karachi airport.”
IndiGo said in a statement that the elderly passenger in the aircraft passed away by the time the airport medical team arrived. The statement said, “We are deeply saddened with the news and our prayers and wishes are with his family.” According to the airline, the flight travelling from Sharjah to Lucknow was rerouted to Karachi owing to the medical emergency.
A Pakistani official reported that the order for an emergency landing was issued as soon as the flight entered Pakistani airspace via Iran at 4 am. He said, “The captain contacted the air control tower and requested the aircraft be allowed to make an emergency landing on humanitarian grounds.” The official said, “The flight was allowed to take off around 8.36 am for Ahmedabad after completion of all formalities.”
After months of restrictions enforced due to disputes with India, which resulted in long detours costing millions of dollars to airlines, Pakistan reopened its airspace to international civil aviation in July 2019.
