On May 20, 1965 Pakistan International Airlines Flight PK705 from Dhahran was descending on the runway of Cairo airport. This was PIA’s inaugural flight to Cairo. 119 unfortunate people onboard died.
Among the victims was PIA’s trend setter air-stewardess Momi Gul Durrani.
At ATP we have done a number of posts of PIA – both on its high-flying early years (here, here, here) and its more troubled recent years (here, here, here). If ever there was a “Face of PIA,” it was Momi Gul Durrani. No PIA personality, with the exception of Air Marshal Nur Khan (who, in fairness, was already a celebrity before he came to PIA) has ever achieved such public recognition, affection and fame as Momi Durrani did.
Quoting from the Mr. Abbas Ali‘s website History of PIA:
Momi was one of PIA’s highly trained, professional and hard working cabin crew members of 1950s and 1960s. She was tall, fair with film-star looks. In short period of time she gained immense popularity and achieved status of a bright star and a legend in PIA’s glorious history.
Omar Kureishi, while writing an article in Dawn of March 30, 2003 recalled Momi in following words:
(For the inaugural PIA flight to Cairo) We had our VIP cabin crew including Momi Durrani, a Pathan girl, tall and fair with film-star looks. We had featured Momi in our advertisements. When she smiled, she made others smile.
In the first two photos, Momi Gul Durrani is seen in 1950s uniform of PIA. Once again quoting from website History of PIA (re. the first photograph):
This photos shows PIA’s legendary Air Hostess Momi Gul Durrani in 1950s uniform. This uniform was designed by Frenchman Chausee Fortaignelle who was with PIA on a 5 year deputation from Pan Am. In this design a white shalwar and dupatta were set off by a green shirt with white cuffs and collar. Shoes and bags were black. The most interesting item of this uniform was a jaunty green cap for the hostesses. This uniform design was used from 1955 to 1960
Photo to the right is the monument (graves) of 119 fateful passengers of PK705 in Cairo, Egypt.
Note: As written above, PK705 was an inaugural flight in a sense that it was the resumption of Karachi-Cairo service which had been suspended for many years until the fateful day of May 20, 1965.
References:
(1) History of PIA by Abbas Ali
(2) Dr. Ghulam Nabi Kazi’s Photo Selection at Flickr.com
(3) The Cairo Crash by Omer Kureishi
(4) Photo of the PK705 memorial is from Wikipedia
In the year 20th May 1965,when this tragic accident of PIA-Boeing 720-B, crashed at Cairo Airport, I was deputed at
Airport Medical Center, Medical Officer, I witnessed, every one
become very sad over this tragic accident,
Patricularly many snaps were published of innocent smile face of :Momigul Durrani :
Dr.Mansoor Ahmed Khan,
Ex M.O.
IT WAS REALLY A TRAGIC NEWS OF THAT ERA 1965, WE LOST MANY IMPORTANT FIGURES FROM NEWS AND INFORMATION MEDIA, BELONGS TO DIFFRENT NEWSPAPER GROUPS, EDITORS,
OUR CHINESE FRIENDS TRAVELLING THROUGH THIS
NATIONAL AIRLINE,
I REMEMBER 20TH MAY 1965, TRAGIC BOEING 720-B,
AIRCRASH AT CAIRO AIRPORT,
TAHIR YAQOOB WAZIRZADA,
DEFENCE-KARACHI
The era of 60s was golden era for our national airline (PIA)
Slogan was to “Fly with Great people”
I witnessed, Capt Akhter, Captain Afzal Joheri, and last
Fairytale Hostess Momi was an valuable assests of our Airline we lost in the desert of Cairo on 20th May 1965.
Momis smiling face always welcome to passengers for safe and comforts air journey,
Saeed Ahmed Siddiqi,
Model Colony, Karachi
At the of this tragic incident, I was working with Civil Aviation,Karahi airport and resided at Stargate, Aviation staff quaters.
PIA was runing very fastest Airline under Command of able bodied person Air Marshall M.Nur Khan, MD PIA, fly in time
safety is there,
PIA staff members were highly skilled and trained in their profession,
Momigul Durrani, among them, innocent smiles, we lost in
Cairo desert on 20th May, 1965,
Khawaja M.Ameen,
Bhawalpur Residency.
The tragic air accident of Cairo of PIA Boeing in 1965, we lost
many famous faces of that era of 60s among them Capt.
Akhter, senior most pilot of National airline, 1st President of PALPA,
We also lost fresh face of smiles for passengers our grand lady of Airline Ms.Momogul Durrani.
Shukuria Khanum,
Multan.
FACT IS THAT PIA BOEING 720-B, AIRCRASH AT CAIRO,
AIRPORT WAS THE IST, JET AIRLINER AIRCRASH OF PIA, SINCE JET AIRLINER INTRODUCED 1960S BY PIA.
THE CREW MEMBERS WERE HIGHLY TRAINED AND PROFESSIONAL, LIKE CAPT AKHTER ALI KHAN, NO 1, IN SENIORITY OF PILOTS, CAPT JOHARI,2ND IN COMMAND,
M.S. NASIMA, PURSER BHOYAN OF EAST PAKISTAN AND LASTLY WITH INNOCENT SMILES MOMI GUL DURRANI
IF WE GO THROUGH THE INCIDENTS FACTS IT SEEMS
THERE WAS SOME WRONG CONCLUSION REGARDING
LANDING OF HEIGHTS, DUE TO PILOTS ERROR THEY
LANDED EARLIER BEFORE THE RUNWAY AND HITED
THE BARREN ROCKS MILES AWAY FROM RUNWAY, WHERE IS TO LAND, MISCALCULATION OF LANDING GEARS REASON OF CRASH,
FAROOQ HAMEED,
LAHORE-PAKISTAN
After going through the comments of all our viewrs and persons
known the facts of tragic Accident of 720-B, Boeing or our National airlines near Cairo Airport,
No doubt we lost many important figures like CaptAkhter, the 1st professional pilot of PIA, Capt Joheri, MajGen.Haya uddin,
Our charming hostess Miss.Momigul Durrani,
Asad Ali Khan Hoti,
Marden-Hoti, NWFP
gen
History of PIA is very rich, its traditions were very large, famous
personalities and celerbrities were prefered to fly with PIA,
Great people to fly with-PIA, Our Pilots were among the best in the World Airline like, Capt.Abdullah Baig, Capt Taimur Baig,
Capt Akhter Ali Khan, Capt Shaukat,
In 60s we were in the heights of fame for intime Arrivals and
Departures,
No doubt, 20th May 1965, 720-B, Boeing aircrash at Cairo,
Airport a big loss for National airline, We lost Momigul, the
charming and innocent hostess of our National Airline,
We remember Momi, even today after 5 decades past,
S.Roshan Akhter,
Karachi Airport.