37 years on, PIA flight PK-404 mystery remains unsolved

Wasif Mahmood

August 25, 1989, remains one of the most mysterious days in the history of aviation in Pakistan. Even after 37 years, the mystery surrounding the disappearance of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) Flight PK-404 remains unsolved. The Fokker F27 aircraft departed from Gilgit for Islamabad, but just nine minutes after takeoff, contact with Air Traffic Control was suddenly lost, and the aircraft also disappeared from radar.

There were 49 passengers and five crew members on board, making a total of 54 people. What makes the incident particularly puzzling is that, before contact was lost, the pilot reported no technical malfunction, emergency situation, or threat. Air Traffic Control received neither an emergency message nor a “Mayday, Mayday” distress call.

Before departure, Captain S.S. Zubair of Flight PK-404 informed the passengers that the weather was pleasant and that the aircraft would fly at an altitude of approximately 8,500 feet and reach Islamabad in about an hour. First Officer Ahsan Bilgrami, air hostess Khalida Habib, and flight steward Maqsood were also part of the crew.

The aircraft took off from Gilgit Airport at 7:36 a.m. Initially, communication with Air Traffic Control remained normal. However, at 7:45 a.m., contact with the aircraft was suddenly lost. No further message was received from the aircraft.

The Air Traffic Controller immediately informed the relevant authorities, and repeated attempts were made to re-establish communication with the aircraft, but all efforts proved unsuccessful.

As news of the aircraft's disappearance spread, anxiety gripped the families of the passengers and crew. Relatives rushed to the airport, desperately seeking information from officials. Meanwhile, the Pakistan Air Force, Pakistan Army, and local volunteers launched an extensive search operation across the rugged mountainous terrain of the northern areas.

Search teams, assisted by local mountaineers and experts, combed Nanga Parbat and surrounding areas. However, no wreckage, black box, or human remains belonging to any of the passengers have ever been recovered.

Because of the flight's route and its proximity to the Line of Control, the possibility was also raised that the aircraft might have entered Indian territory and met with an accident there. Pakistan also contacted India and requested cooperation in locating any possible wreckage of the aircraft.

However, no trace of the aircraft could be found. Later, efforts were also made to seek assistance from a United Nations team, but even this failed to produce any significant information about the aircraft or its passengers.

According to former Chief Air Traffic Controller Saeed Ahmed, considering the difficult mountainous terrain of the northern areas and the limited technology available at the time, it is possible that the aircraft crashed into a deep valley or glacier while flying at a low altitude due to poor weather or sudden changes in wind conditions.

He explained that winds in mountainous regions can sometimes suddenly change direction. Strong winds generated when air currents collide with mountains can cause an aircraft to lose altitude rapidly. In such circumstances, the aircraft's communication signals can also be affected.

However, this remains only a possible explanation. To this day, no conclusive evidence has emerged that can establish the exact cause of the disappearance of Flight PK-404.

Thirty-seven years have passed since Flight PK-404 disappeared. During this period, significant changes have occurred in the mountains and glaciers of the northern areas. Numerous Pakistani and foreign mountaineers have undertaken expeditions in the region equipped with increasingly sophisticated technology. Yet none has discovered any reliable trace of the missing aircraft.

For the families of the 54 people on board, the tragedy remains an unanswered question. They never learned exactly where the aircraft went. Not a single piece of its wreckage was recovered, nor were the remains of any passenger or crew member ever found.

According to aviation sources, modern technology, satellite data, advanced search systems, and other equipment now available could potentially help locate the aircraft if the government decides to reopen the search. Such an effort could perhaps provide a new clue in a mystery that has remained unresolved for 37 years.

Flight PK-404 remains one of the most enduring mysteries in Pakistan's aviation history. Not even the wreckage of the aircraft has been found, and 37 years later, the ultimate fate of its 54 passengers and crew members remains shrouded in mystery.

-- The writer is a staff member of GNN and writes on burning issues and latest advancements in agriculture, aviation and governance