PK8303 Cockpit Voice Recorder Recovered From Crash Site in Karachi

An update May 28th 2020:

A team of Pakistani and French investigators shuffled through the wreckage of a Pakistani airliner that crashed in Karachi last Friday.

The purpose was to find out what happened that resulted in the worst airline disaster in the country in years.

The investigators were in search of the Airbus A320 jet’s cockpit voice recorder, said a spokesman for Pakistan International Airlines (PIA).

Reportedly, the recorder has now been found.

PK 8303 AP BLD Cockpit Voice Recorder has been found from the debris and handed over to AAIB team. This will be a key component in the Air Crash Investigation. PIA Teams were searching extensively for CVR aided by Airbus Team. pic.twitter.com/fIxdz4QM8u

— PIA (@Official_PIA) May 28, 2020

According to Pakistan International Airline’s (PIA) official tweet, the recorder has been handed over to the Airbus Investigators as a critical component to the investigation into the crash, which killed almost 100 and with just 2 survivors.

“The voice recorder will help with the investigation,” said the spokesperson.

The spokesperson further said the voice recorder had been handed to the investigative board, tasked with the probe into the air crash.

Reportedly, trawlers, heavy machinery, and various other vehicles were being used to move the pieces. On the other hand,  Pakistan Air Force (PAF), Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA), and the Pakistan International Airlines’ (PIA) engineering and technical ground support staff monitored the process very closely.

Update May 27 2020:

An eleven-member team of experts from European aircraft manufacturer Airbus examined the site of PK-8303 plane crash in Karachi’s Model Colony on Tuesday.

The team is assisting the investigation of the plane crash in Karachi that claimed 97 lives on May 22, 2020, on Friday.

Initially, the team had flown in from Toulouse for a one-day visit but now has decided to extend their stay.

The team is currently examining why the aircraft’s landing gear didn’t open on time and other issues. They will also inspect the plane’s engine, flight control system, and wings.

The Aircraft Accident and Investigation Board and the Civil Aviation Authority briefed the french team about the accident. They even visited the runway and saw the CCTV footage of the crash.

Moreover, the investigation team will be provided the plane’s black box and flight data record so they can take it to France with them for a detailed inspection.

56 bodies have yet to be identified

Federal Aviation Minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan said,

“56 bodies have yet to be identified, while 41 bodies have been handed over to the heirs after DNA testing.”

He also claimed that a package would soon be given to those who lost their loved ones in this tragic incident. Moreover, the Airbus investigation team is expected to submit its final report in three months.

The fatal incident of Pakistan International Airlines occurred, leaving the nation devastated just two days before Eid.

The Airbus investigation team has conducted its official search of the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA). The task also inspected the Jinnah International Airport runway. Moreover, air traffic control towers and radar command centers were also toured.

Airbus Team’s examination

There was an 11-member investigating team of Airbus that reached Pakistan from France on Tuesday to probe into the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) plane crash.

The experts visited the Model Colony aircraft scene of the crash and also provided their Pakistani partners with technical assistance to demonstrate the causes for the crash.

The Airbus experts took the black box of the aircraft along with the voice recorder of the cockpit. The team also carried other evidence that may help them in the investigation.

The team will fly back to France at 10 pm tonight after 16-hours of investigation.

Initial Investigation

The verification of deceased bodies is underway via the DNA scanning. The entire process will continue in the coming days. Final investigations indicate that the crash occurred due to technical defects, but further research is ongoing.

Meanwhile, the wounded from among the Model Colony crash site are being treated at various Karachi hospitals.

PIA aircraft Airbus A320 crashed in the residential area of Model Colony near the Karachi airport on May 22,  minutes before landing. The plane flying from Lahore to Karachi had 99 persons on board, including passengers and crew.

Only two people survived the tragic incident. The bodies of the deceased are being identified via DNA testing, and the process will continue in the coming days, according to authorities.

What to expect in the second investigation?

The French team’s visit was decided after the announcement by the Aviation Minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan at a press conference a day after the tragic incident. He revealed that there would be an inquiry by the French and German experts belonging to the Airbus company. The manufacturer of the crashed A320 would come to a decision that may lead to the cause of the crash.

Meanwhile, PIA is carrying out its routine repatriation missions for stranded Pakistani nationals abroad. Additionally, the injured from the site of the crash in Model Colony are under treatment at different hospitals in Karachi.

Stay tuned to Brandsynario for the latest news and updates.