MEA Minister Krishna's plane diverted to Karachi due to bad weather
Dubai/New Delhi:
An Emirates Airline aircraft carrying Indian External
Affairs Minister S M Krishna had to be diverted to Karachi late on Thursday night
due to bad weather in Indian airspace. Krishna, who was in Brazil on an official
visit, had cut short his trip and was returning to New Delhi following the death
of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy in a chopper crash. "The
pilot of the Emirates flight sought permission from Pakistani authorities to land
in Karachi after bad weather developed over New Delhi. The aircraft was granted
permission and landed in Karachi at 10.35 p.m.," a television channel quoted Civil
Aviation Authority spokesman George Pervez, as saying. After waiting in vain for
over an hour for weather to clear over India, the pilot decided to fly to Dubai
at 11.44 p.m. after the aircraft was refuelled, Pervez said. Reports said that
besides Krishna, several senior Indian officials were also on the flight. The
total number of passengers on the flight could not be immediately ascertained.
No passengers were allowed to leave the aircraft while it was on the ground in
Karachi. The flight left for the Indian capital early this morning.
