PAKISTANI PLANE CRASHES WITH 152 ON BOARD

AIRPLANE CRASHES IN A BALL OF FLAMES
IN PAKISTAN KILLS ALL 152 ON BOARD

ISLAMABAD (AFP) - A passenger plane belonging to the private Airblue service was flying from the southern port city of Karachi when it crashed into the hills near the Pakistani capital while trying to land in rainy and cloudy conditions, killing all 152 passengers and crew on board. The plane crashed in a ball of flames into densely wooded hills above Islamabad during heavy rain and poor visibility, leaving little hope of survivors. Rescue teams were immediately dispatched to the site while army helicopters hovered over the Margalla Hills to look for survivors. Television pictures showed wreckage from the plan and a thick blanket of clouds. Smoke caused by fire could be seen rising from the crash site. Residents of Islamabad saw the plane flying very low just before it crashed. The plane plummeted in a gorge between two hills, enveloped in cloud and some distance from the road, severely hampering rescue efforts and limiting visibility for helicopters hovering overhead, said an AFP correspondent.

Rescue officials said pieces of charred flesh and body parts were littered around the smouldering wreckage, partially buried on a remote hillside. The head of the National Disaster Management Authority, Nadeem Ahmad, said that the difficult terrain and weather were hampering the rescue efforts. Authorities say it will be premature to discuss the causes of the crash without proper investigation. Airblue spokesman Raheel Ahmed said he suspects weather conditions might have caused the crash. Ahmed said the plane had no known technical problems and the pilots had not sent any emergency signals. He added this was the first crash for the private Airblue service, which began operations in 2004. Pakistan declared a day of national mourning and called off a cabinet meeting as Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani “expressed grief” over the “tragic incident” and offered prayers for those who had been killed.


Despite the fact that Airblue is one of Pakistan's most respected airlines, and this country also enjoys a relatively good air safety record, this terrible tragedy has happened. When rescuers walked uphill to reach the site, they only saw body parts. Tragedy may happen at any time, so we should always remember the Holy Names of the Lord and ask for His Grace.

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US?

The real problem of life in the material world is to solve the question of birth, death, old age and disease. No one wants to change his birthright, no one wants to meet death, no one wants to be old or invalid, and no one wants diseases. But these problems are solved neither by the grace of any demigod nor by the so-called advancement of material science. ... Śukadeva Gosvāmī said that out of the 8,400,000 species of living entities, the human form of life is rare and valuable, and out of those rare human beings those who are conscious of the material problems are rarer still, and the still more rare persons are those who are conscious of the value of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, which contains the messages of the Lord and His pure devotees.

Śrīla A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda :
“The Śrīmad Bhāgavatam”
Purport in Canto 2 - Chapter 3 - Verse 2-7.