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
It was a great tragedy in the year 1965, total error of
Pilots and navigation team, landed the plane wrongly,
before the landing strips caused a tragic accident,
Tariq Sultanpuri,
Goldentown-Karachi
Very sad and tragic story which happend 47 years ago at Cairo
Airport.
Tabssum Jameel.
Lohari gate = Multan
Inretrospect, i remember, my late father was deputed at Aerodrome control tower side, in this sad eve, he was very
sad about the PIA, Boeing 720-B, aircrash at Cairo Airport,
notable persons were killed in this aircrash,
Still I remember,
Engr Khalid Kazmi,
Houston city.
This was a very tragic and horrified air accident at the time
of landing at Cairo Airport, still this kept in my memoirs as
fresh, no matter 47 years has been past,
wc(r) Ahmed,
london
Indeed, this was a great set back for our National airline
in the era 1965,
We miss all the tall personalities of our national airline,
tahir cricketer,
fc area-karachi-
I remember the great incident of aircrash of PIA, 720-B
at runway no 34, at Cairo Airport on 20th May 1965.
At that time I was working as a capacity of Secretary-Airport
Club, this was situated near old terminal airport no 1,
Every one were very sad and surprised to know the details about the facts, communication media was very slow.
this was a great loss for all of us,
Musheer Alam Farooqi,
Past years of life were golden days to remember for
years to come, we lived near KLM Midway House, near
Old Airport Terminal One, this was a shocking news
for us, a great tragedy for all of us, mishap of PIA, Boeing
crashed near Cairo Airport runway no 34.
M.Ilyas,
Computer Department,
Islamabad.
Late 720-B, Boeing Commander, Late Akhter Ali Khan.
was most senior pilot of our National airline and was
also Founder President of PALPA.
This was a tragic accident our National airline.
Capt Masood Anwer,
Gulberg-Lahore