A Qatar Airways flight from Delhi to Doha was diverted to Karachi in Pakistan on Monday, March 21, after smoke was detected in the cargo hold. The Qatar Airways flight QR579, carrying around 100 passengers, landed in Karachi and the passengers were off-boarded immediately.
“Flight QR579 from Delhi to Doha on 21 March diverted to Karachi, having declared an emergency due to indication of smoke detected in the cargo hold. Aircraft landed safely in Karachi where it was met by emergency services & passengers disembarked,” Qatar Airways said in a statement.
“The incident is currently under investigation and a relief flight is being arranged to transport passengers onwards to Doha. We apologise for the inconvenience to our passengers who will be assisted with their onward travel plans,” Qatar Airways added.
Cardiologist Dr Sameer Gupta tweeted that passengers had been waiting at the airport for updates and that “no information, no food or water being offered to passengers.” A passenger, in a video uploaded on social media, said that most of the passengers on the flight are Indians, and many had connecting flights from Doha airport. He added that the passengers were disembarked around 5.30 am, and have been waiting for over four hours at the airport.
@qatarairways - what is the status of QR579 - Delhi —>Doha, Diverted to Karachi .
— Dr. Sameer Gupta (@SGuptaMD) March 21, 2022
No information being offered, no food or water being offered to passengers. Customer care is clueless.
Please help @MoCA_GoI @JM_Scindia @Chaiti @malhotravineet7 @soniandtv
दिल्ली से दोहा जा रहे क़तर एयरलाइंस QR579 में सवार यात्री रमेश रालिया के मुताबिक़ विमान में 100 के क़रीब यात्री हैं। अधिकतर भारतीय। कईयों की दोहा से आगे की कनेक्टिटिंग फ़्लाइट है। लेकिन विमान कराची से कब टेकऑफ करेगा इसकी कोई जानकारी नहीं।
— Umashankar Singh उमाशंकर सिंह (@umashankarsingh) March 21, 2022
(वीडियो कुछ मिनट पहले शूट किया गया है) https://t.co/nnMEyvpozW pic.twitter.com/EU01ijzlrn
This is a developing story