Salahuddin Siddique, Last Survivor of 1965 PIA Cairo Plane Crash, Dies at 93

Salahuddin Siddique, the last remaining survivor of the infamous 1965 Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) plane crash in Cairo, has passed away in London at the age of 93. His death marks the end of an era, as he was the final living connection to one of the most tragic incidents in PIA’s history.

The ill-fated PIA flight, which was on its inaugural journey from Karachi to London via Dhahran and Cairo, crashed on May 20, 1965, just 20 kilometers from Cairo airport. Out of the 128 passengers and crew aboard, only six survived. Siddique, then serving as the General Manager of Public Affairs at PIA, was one of those fortunate few. Siddique’s life was deeply intertwined with the history of PIA. After surviving the crash, he continued to serve the national airline until his retirement in 1980. The state-run APP news agency reported his passing, with a PIA spokesperson expressing deep sorrow, stating, “Today, we have lost a cherished colleague. Salahuddin Siddique’s contributions to the national airline will always be remembered.”

Siddique had been residing in London for many years and is survived by a son and a daughter. His funeral, held in London, was attended by a large number of relatives, friends, and well-wishers, who came to pay their final respects.

The 1965 plane crash is a somber chapter in Pakistan’s aviation history, claiming 122 lives, including 21 journalists. Among the victims were APP Administrator A.K. Qureshi and National Press Trust Chairman Hayatuddin. Siddique’s passing serves as a poignant reminder of the resilience of those who survived and the memories of those who were lost.