Karachi [Pakistan], March 18 : Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) said that its flight PK178, travelling from Fujerah in the United Arab Emirates to Lahore, was diverted to Karachi due to a "snag", Dawn reported.
The airline stated that the aircraft landed safely in Karachi after developing a cabin pressure-related snag mid-flight, prompting it to descend to 10,000 feet as per safety protocol, as reported by Dawn.
PIA further said that its engineering team is working to fix the issue and that the flight is expected to resume its journey to Lahore shortly, Dawn reported.
Meanwhile, the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, triggered after the United States and Israel launched attacks on Iran on February 28, has severely disrupted global aviation operations, as per Dawn.
The situation has led to widespread flight cancellations following the shutdown of key aviation hubs such as Dubai, Doha and Abu Dhabi, leaving tens of thousands of passengers stranded, Dawn reported.
At the same time, jet fuel prices have surged sharply to between $150 and $200 per barrel, significantly impacting airline operations and finances, as per Dawn.
Several international carriers have either suspended flights or scaled down operations in response to the escalating crisis, Dawn reported.