A Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight travelling from Jeddah to Lahore made an emergency landing at Dammam’s King Fahd International Airport after signalling an onboard emergency, the airline confirmed.
According to a PIA spokesperson, Flight PK860, operated by a Boeing 777, diverted while still in Saudi airspace due to a technical issue.
The aircraft had 437 passengers on board, excluding crew, and was scheduled to land in Lahore at 8:00 pm.
During the flight, the crew activated the 7700 transponder code, an internationally recognised signal used to alert air traffic control to a general emergency, giving the aircraft priority handling.
The plane landed safely in Dammam, and engineering teams are currently carrying out technical inspections.
The airline did not disclose the exact nature of the fault or provide a timeline for the flight’s onward journey to Lahore.
PIA also did not comment on passenger facilitation arrangements following the diversion.
The incident comes amid recent scrutiny of PIA’s technical operations. In the past, the airline has faced flight disruptions linked to technical faults and disputes involving aircraft engineers over safety standards, spare parts availability, and working conditions.
Passengers have been advised to await further updates from the airline regarding rescheduling and travel arrangements.
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