Pakistani air traffic controller helps plane from India

Islamabad: An air traffic controller from Pakistan's Civil Aviation Authority reportedly saved a plane flying from Jaipur to Muscat, the capital city of Oman, after its pilot sounded alert due to bad weather.

According to sources, sources in Pakistan's aviation authority have said that the plane encountered abnormal weather conditions near the Chor area of the southern Sindh province.

According to a report in The News International, the plane, carrying around 150 passengers, was flying over Karachi region on Thursday when it got caught in the middle of lightning and dropped down from an altitude of 36,000 feet to



34,000 feet almost immediately.

As a result, the pilot initiated emergency protocol and broadcast "Mayday" to nearby stations, reported news agency.

The air traffic controller from Pakistan responded to the call of the pilot and directed the plane through the dense air traffic in the vicinity for the remaining journey in Pakistani airspace.

Pakistan on July 16 opened its airspace for India after around five months of restrictions in the wake of a standoff with New Delhi earlier this year.

Following the Balakot airstrikes, Pakistan had closed its airspace on February 26.