Turkey voices sorrow over Pakistani plane crash

ANKARA

Turkey on Friday offered condolences to Pakistan over a deadly plane crash in the early hours of the day.

“We receive the news with deep sorrow that a Pakistan International Airlines plane crashed into a residential area close to Jinnah Airport in Karachi resulting in the loss of many lives,” Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

The statement wished the mercy of Allah upon the victims of the "tragic accident" and offered condolences to their relatives and the brotherly people of Pakistan.

“Deeply saddened by the crash of plane close to Karachi Airport in brotherly #Pakistan. May Allah's mercy be upon those who lost their lives in the crash. Condolences to our Pakistani brothers & sisters. Friendly & brotherly Pakistan’s pain is our pain,” Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Twitter, tagging his Pakistani counterpart Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi.

Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay also wished Allah's mercy upon those who lost their lives in the plane crash, and extended condolences to the "brotherly" people of Pakistan.

"As Turkey, we share their pain," Oktay said on Twitter, sharing flags of both countries next to each other.

Turkey’s Parliament Speaker Mustafa Sentop also extended condolences over the loss of lives in the crash.

“I’m deeply saddened to hear that a passenger plane en route from Lahore to Karachi has crashed close to Karachi Airport. May Allah have mercy upon those who lost their lives in this tragic accident and I extend to brotherly people of Pakistan my heartfelt condolences,” Sentop said on Twitter.

According to Pakistani authorities, at least 73 people, including women and children, were killed and 20 others injured in the crash.