‘False high temperature warning’ forces PIA Hajj flight to make emergency landing in Riyadh

A Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) Hajj flight, PK 839, bound for Jeddah, made an emergency landing at Riyadh airport late Friday night following a false high temperature warning in the cargo cabin.

According to a PIA spokesperson speaking to Geo News, the Boeing 777 aircraft pilot received a high temperature alert in the cargo hold during the flight, prompting the emergency landing in the Saudi capital.

Upon inspection, it was determined that the warning was erroneous, and after a brief examination, the flight continued to its original destination in Jeddah on Saturday.

The Hajj flight, originating from Jinnah International Airport in Karachi, took off at 10 pm but was redirected to Riyadh due to the emergency situation.

During the flight, passengers reported hearing a loud noise, prompting the diversion and landing in Riyadh.

Following the emergency landing, passengers were disembarked from the Boeing 777 and relocated to the lounge at Riyadh airport.

Recent air incidents, such as a passenger’s death due to suspected heart attack and injuries to 30 others on a Singapore Airlines flight from severe turbulence, as well as injuries to 12 passengers on a Qatar Airways flight, have raised concerns about flight safety.

Researchers attribute an increase in flight turbulence incidents to climate change, with clear-air turbulence expected to rise in the future, according to a study by scientists at the University of Reading in the UK.