LAHORE – Due to heavy storm followed by rain in Lahore this evening, atleast two Pakistan International Airlines aircraft collided with groundequipment at Allama Iqbal International Airport in Lahore.

Accidents occurred when very strong winds jolted almost everything at theairport and two aircraft came in the way of ground vehicles, severelydamaging the body of both the aircrafts that were parked at Lahore airport.

A PIA spokesperson confirmed the incident and said that both the aircraftare grounded after technical inspection.

According to sources PIA flight PK654 was ready to fly to Islamabad atLahore airport while PK244 — originally flying from Damam to Sialkot — wasdiverted to Lahore airport due to thunderstorm which hit Punjab on Tuesdayevening.

Weather got severe with gusty winds just before Iftar that followed bylight rain in the area.

Sources confirmed that heavy winds caused an Ambulift (special ambulancedesigned to shift passengers with medical conditions in or out fromaircraft) to become out of control and hit the PIA aircraft parked at bay.

In another incident, during the same time, a passenger step hit the engineof another aircraft.

Both the aircraft suffered severe damages during the accidents and will notbe able to fly without proper repairs.

Pictures obtained by ProPakistani show that both the planes are no moreairworthy. Pictures clearly show that the Ambulift not only damaged thebody of the Airbus 320 but has made a sizable hole in the aircraft body.

Passenger step, in another separate incident, hit the front part of engineof an aircraft.

It is yet not clear if both the vehicles, that hit the aircraft, weredriven by some operator or they were just parked at the time of theincident.