KARACHI: A former Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) official, who was among the last living survivors of the 1965 Cairo crash, passed away in London.

Salahuddin Siddique, 93, had retired in 1980 as general manager (public affairs) of the national flag carrier.

He was one of the people on board the ill-fated inaugural PIA flight from Karachi and London, which crashed near Cairo airport on May 20, 1965. The flight was supposed to stop over in Dhahran, Cairo and Geneva.

The plane had 128 passengers and crew on board, of whom only six had survived.

Mr Siddique had been living in London for a long time. According to family sources, he is survived by a son and a daughter.

A PIA spokesperson, on behalf of the management of the national flag carrier, condoled with the bereaved family, saying PIA would always remember Mr Siddique’s services.

Published in Dawn, August 18th, 2024