A Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight, PK-213, traveling from Karachi to Dubai, experienced a serious mid-flight emergency due to a hydraulic system failure. The Airbus A320, which took off at 2:05 AM, was cruising at 36,000 feet when the malfunction occurred over the Gulf of Oman, causing the aircraft to rapidly descend by 26,000 feet in just six minutes.
The pilot declared an emergency and contacted air traffic control in Muscat for assistance. Despite the critical issue, the pilot managed to rectify the hydraulic problem mid-flight and chose to bypass an emergency landing in Muscat, continuing the journey to Dubai at a lower altitude of 10,000 feet for the remaining 50 minutes.
Upon safely landing in Dubai, the aircraft was inspected and later cleared for its next scheduled flights to Islamabad and Skardu.
A PIA spokesperson acknowledged that the airline is currently facing a shortage of aircraft due to ongoing administrative challenges.
