NEW DELHI: Scenes of panic ensued a private Pakistani plane after the Karachi-Lahore flight was hit by turbulence as it encountered a violent sandstorm on Saturday. Fly Jinnah’s flight FL-842 was compelled to abort landing and execute a go-around maneuver due to the severe turbulence and unstable landing conditions.Footage of the incident that went viral on social media show passengers screaming in panic. Recalling the moment, a passenger said, “The landing seemed routine at first. But as soon as the wheels touched the ground, a powerful sandstorm engulfed the plane. Within seconds, we were airborne again. The next 10 to 12 minutes were some of the scariest of my life. The plane was being thrown around violently, visibility was zero, and it felt like we were caught in a cyclone,” Gulf News reported.According to Pakistani media reports, the aircraft was nearing the runway when it was hit by sudden crosswinds and reduced visibility. Air traffic control promptly directed the pilot to abort the landing, after which the pilot safely regained control and redirected the flight back to Karachi.Severe weather conditions across Lahore and Islamabad on Saturday led to major flight disruptions. In Lahore, at least 22 flights were delayed, diverted, or forced to return, while Islamabad airport faced similar chaos due to heavy rain and hailstorms, resulting in multiple cancellations and delays.
