15 years on: Airblue crash still haunts families

ISLAMABAD (Web Desk) – Fifteen years have passed since the tragic Airblue plane crash near the Margalla Hills, but the grief of losing loved ones still lingers deeply for the families affected.

The ill-fated flight took off from Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport at 7:41 AM and lost contact with Islamabad’s control tower at 9:41 AM. Moments later, the aircraft crashed into the Margalla Hills, killing all 152 people on board, including six crew members.

The Safety Investigation Board (SIB), which conducted the official probe, held the pilot responsible for the accident due to serious violations of flying discipline.

According to the report, the pilot placed the aircraft in an unsafe situation and committed critical errors while attempting to land in poor weather conditions. The aircraft was flown at dangerously low altitude in a hazardous terrain.

The report further cited failures in cockpit resource management and pilot skills as key contributing factors to the fatal crash.