PIA 777 Diverts to Riyadh Due High Cargo Hold Temperature Indication

A PIA flight operating from Karachi to Jeddah diverted to Riyadh on 31 May after flight crew noted a high cargo hold temperature indication.

A Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight bound for Jeddah, Saudi Arabia diverted to Riyadh due to a technical problem on 31 May 2024.

Pakistan International airlines flight PK839, a Boeing 777-200, was operating the scheduled service between Karachi and Jeddah.

PIA PK839 Karachi-Jeddah

Whilst the aircraft was en route in the cruise, the flight crew received a high temperature indication in the aircraft’s cargo hold. As a result of the anomaly, the crew made the decision to divert to Riyadh as a precaution.

Diversion to Riyadh

Following the diversion, the flight then landed at Riyadh King Khalid International Airport (RUH) without further incident.

It is understood that the high temperature indication was the result of a sensor fault.

Flight Details

Flight data shows that PIA flight PK839 made a departure from Karachi Jinnah International Airport (KHI) at 22:22 local time on 31 May.

The aircraft then set course normally for Jeddah King Abdulaziz International Airport (JED). The climb was then initiated to FL380 (38,000 feet) before the divert to Riyadh was initiated from FL360.

The aircraft was to the south-east of Riyadh when flight crew initiated the diversion. A descent and approach was then made to King Khalid International Airport RWY33.

Aero Icarus from Zürich, Switzerland, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

After the period of approximately five hours on the ground at the diversion airport, the flight subsequently continued to the destination without further incident.

The aircraft conducting the PK839 service was a Boeing 777-200, registered AP-BGJ. This is a 20.4 year old wide-body aircraft belonging to the national carrier Pakistan International Airlines.