A Pakistan Air Force F-16 fighter jet crashed on Wednesday, in a parade ground in the capital, Islamabad, killing the pilot as he was rehearsing for a Pakistan Day air show, the air force said.
Amateur video footage showed the U.S.-built aircraft appearing to lose control and nose-diving before it hit the ground and caught fire.
“Wing Commander Noman Akram embraced martyrdom in the crash,’’ an air force spokesman said.
He was the only pilot in the aircraft, the spokesman said.
The aircraft was taking part in rehearsals for a Pakistan Day air show scheduled for March 23.
Rescue teams were working at the site to ascertain if there were any other losses, the air force said.
A district administration official said there was little chance of any casualties on the ground as the plane had crashed in the parade ground, which is largely deserted despite being in the heart of the capital.
The air force said it was investigating the cause of the crash.
Turkish Airlines said on Tuesday that it has suspended all flights to-and-from Nigeria due to the Coronavirus epidemic.
The Punch reports that Nigeria’s first index case of the novel COVID-19, a passenger of Italian origin, arrived at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, via Turkish Airlines.
The government launched a search for the other passengers on the flight with the Italian, who is currently in isolation in Lagos, and released the names of the missing passengers.
However, the airline, on Tuesday, said in a statement that it would refund passengers who already booked its flights.
“Due to the coronavirus outbreak in various countries, Turkish Airlines has been changing its flight schedule to several destinations around the globe.
“We would like to inform our passengers that due to the suspension of other routes, several of our flights to/from Nigeria will be undergoing cancellations during March.
“Passengers with tickets to the cancelled flights will be able to refund or change their tickets free of charge until the end of May if they start the process until March/April depending on the route,” it said.
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