At least 107 feared dead as Pakistani International Airlines plane crashes near Karachi

A passenger jet operated by state-owned Pakistani International Airlines en route from Lahore crashed in Karachi on Friday, with 99 passengers and eight crew members on board, according to Abdul Sattar Kokhar, spokesman for the national civil aviation authority. Witnesses tell The Associated Press the Airbus A320 attempted to land two or three times before crashing in a crowded low-income neighborhood outside Jinnah International Airport. Police and military personnel blocked off the area, and it isn't clear if there are casualties on the ground.

"The last we heard from the pilot was that he has some technical problem," said PIA spokesman Abdullah H. Khan. "It is a very tragic incident."

The aircraft was checked in November, government records indicate, and PIA's chief engineer deemed it "fully airworthy" and in compliance with all safety standards on April 28, but Pakistan has a spotty record of aviation safety.

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