This Article is From Aug 31, 2012

Plane skids off runway in Pakistan, all on board safe

Lahore: A Pakistan International Airlines' plane skidded off the runway while landing at the airport in Lahore on Friday though all 48 people on board escaped unhurt.

A Civil Aviation Authority spokesman told PTI that the ATR-653 aircraft was coming to Lahore from Islamabad.

"During landing at the Lahore airport, the plane skidded off the runway. All 48 people on board, including the crew, remained safe," he said.

The CAA declared an emergency at the airport and launched efforts to clear the runway, which was closed after the incident.

The plane was damaged during the landing. The CAA subsequently opened another runway usually used for emergencies.

Several flights were delayed due to the closure of the main runway.

Though the weather in Lahore was rough, officials said the incident may have occurred due to pilot error as he had landed the aircraft at the edge of the runway.

An investigation was launched to ascertain the cause of the incident.

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