Last survivor of 1965 PIA plane crash in Cairo passes away

Salahuddin Siddique, the last survivor of a Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) plane crash in Cairo in 1965, has passed away in London at the age of 93.

The PIA plane, which was on an inaugural flight from Karachi to London via Dhahran and Cairo, crashed on May 20, 1965, about 20 kilometers from the Cairo airport, with 128 passengers and crew aboard.

Siddique, a former general manager of the PIA’s Public Affairs department, was the last of six passengers who survived the tragic crash.

He retired from the PIA in 1980, the state-run APP news agency reported.

“Today, we have lost a cherished colleague,” the report quoted a PIA spokesperson as saying on Saturday. “Salahuddin Siddique’s contributions to the national airline will always be remembered.”

Siddique, who had been living in London for many years, is survived by a son and a daughter, according to the report. His funeral was held in London, which was attended by a large number of relatives, friends, and well-wishers.

The 1965 PIA plane crash killed 122 people, including 21 journalists. APP Administrator A.K. Qureshi and National Press Trust Chairman Hayatuddin was among the victims.