Plane narrowly escapes disaster at Islamabad International airport

ISLAMABAD: A major aviation disaster was narrowly avoided at Islamabad International Airport when a foreign airline’s Boeing 777 approached the wrong runway during landing, airport officials confirmed on Tuesday.

According to sources within the Pakistan Airport Authority (PAA), the aircraft, arriving from Jeddah, mistakenly aligned itself with Runway 28L, which has been closed for repairs. A NOTAM had been issued in advance, clearly stating that Runway 28L was unavailable for operations, while Runway 28R remained open for landings and takeoffs.

Despite repeated alerts from the air traffic controller (ATC), the pilot maintained that the aircraft was correctly aligned, continuing the approach toward the closed runway. At the time, airport personnel and vehicles were present on 28L due to ongoing maintenance work.

“The controller’s timely intervention prevented what could have been a catastrophic accident,” an airport source said. ATC instructed the pilot to abort the landing and execute a go-around. On the second attempt, the aircraft successfully landed on the correct runway without further incident. The Boeing 777 was carrying hundreds of passengers.

A PAA spokesperson confirmed that the authority has taken notice of the incident and is reviewing the circumstances that led to the near-miss. An internal inquiry is expected to examine communication between the crew and ATC, as well as adherence to NOTAM procedures.

Aviation experts say the incident highlights the critical importance of situational awareness and strict compliance with navigational instructions, especially when operating in airspaces with active runway closures.