CAA's air traffic controller saves foreign airline's plane from deadly accident

KARACHI: An air traffic controller of Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has saved a foreign airline en route Muscat from India’s Jaipur from a dangerous accident in the airspace of Karachi Region that lost control following thunderbolt, ARY News reported on Friday.

The flight, WY-276, of Oman Air lost his control at the altitude of 38,000 due to lightning strike which suddenly descended it to 36,000 amid bad weather conditions while flying over Sindh’s Chor town.

The pilot of the aircraft carrying more than 150 passengers placed ‘mayday’ call while flying over Sindh’s Chor town after being caught into an emergency situation. Following the mayday call, the CAA’s air traffic controller showed professionalism and guided the WY-276 flight’s pilot which saved the aircraft from colliding in the air with other planes.

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The spokesperson of the aviation authorities told ARY News that the Oman Air’s flight captain contacted air traffic controller and made a mayday call following worse weather condition after entering the airspace of Karachi Region.

The WY-276 plane escaped horrible accident as the aircraft was near to hit other flights on the same route following complete guidance by the CAA’s air traffic controller, the spokesperson added.

It may be noted here that at least 26 people, including women and children, lost their lives in Sindh’s Tharparkar and Sanghar districts after being struck by lightning during thundershowers continued on scattered locations since Thursday night.

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Moreover, light rainfall lashed Karachi on Friday morning as well which caused the temperature to dip as several parts of Sindh received rain from Thursday night in a fresh wet spell.

The met office had predicted rainfall at Sukkur, Larkana, Mirpur Khas, Sanghar, Umarkot, Shikarpur and Jacobabad on Thursday (yesterday). According to the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) a westerly wave is affecting lower parts of the country.

Widespread rain and wind-thunderstorm are expected in Upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Northeastern Balochistan, south Punjab, Gilgit Baltistan and Kashmir, while at scattered places in upper Punjab, Lower Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh and Islamabad, a weather forecast said.