KARACHI – An IndiGo flight en route from New Delhi to Jeddah made a medical emergency landing at Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport late Friday night after a passenger fell ill, the Pakistan Airport Authority (PAA) reported on Saturday.
The flight, an Airbus A321-271NX with flight number 6E63, landed at 10:54 PM, according to a PAA statement. Immediate medical attention was provided to the ailing passenger, who received medication on arrival. A doctor later declared the individual fit to travel, and the flight resumed its journey to Jeddah at around 2:00 AM, the PAA added.
This is not the first time Karachi airport has hosted emergency landings of Indian aircraft. In July 2022, two separate incidents involved Indian airlines diverting to Jinnah International Airport.
On July 5, a Dubai-bound SpiceJet flight from Delhi landed in Karachi after the captain reported an indicator light malfunction. While passengers initially stayed onboard, they were later disembarked safely, and a replacement aircraft was dispatched to complete their journey. A week later, an IndiGo plane traveling from Sharjah to Hyderabad made a precautionary landing at Karachi due to a technical defect.
Following these incidents, India’s aviation regulator issued a warning to SpiceJet, citing lapses in safety oversight and inadequate maintenance practices.
Emergency landings are not limited to foreign airlines. In September, a Fly Jinnah aircraft flying from Karachi to Lahore made an emergency landing at Allama Iqbal International Airport after smoke was detected in its cargo hold.
Such instances highlight the role of Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport as a reliable hub for emergency interventions, ensuring passenger safety during unforeseen situations.
