Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) staff who lost six of their colleagues in a crash this month, were purportedly pictured sacrificing a goat at an airport, prompting suggestions that it was done to ensure the safety of an aircraft.

The national carrier is still reeling from an air disaster on December 7, when an ATR aircraft ploughed into a mountainside near the small village of Saddha.

All passengers and crew died in the collision, prompting a full “shakedown” and thorough examination of the airline’s entire ATR fleet.

Shakedown tests of PIA's ATRs started. Team of CAA & PIA's Quality Control Department will carry out thorough examination of each aircraft. — Danyal Gilani (@Danyal_Gilani) December 12, 2016

Good News:

One ATR-42 aircraft has been cleared in shakedown test. Flights from Islamabad to Gilgit & Chitral would now be made operational — Danyal Gilani (@Danyal_Gilani) December 15, 2016

Amid the uncertainty surrounding the disaster, a bizarre image emerged of a group of men beheading a goat in front of a PIA plane similar to the one that went down.

According to Pakistan’s The Express Tribune, the image was taken at Benazir International Airport in Islamabad shortly before a domestic flight landed without incident.

A PIA spokesperson has since said the goat slaughter was a gesture instituted by “local employees” after the airline’s ATR aircraft were given the all clear to resume operations.

Unsurprisingly, the unusual event has spurred people to comment on the reasons for lobbing a goat’s head off before departure.

Pre ATR flight Sadka.... Picture says it all.... pic.twitter.com/wvP7TzA1VB — Fakhr-e-Alam (@falamb3) December 18, 2016

We shud learn flight-safety from Pakistan. PIA officials sacrifice black goat on the runway to please Allah. Better pilot training can wait. pic.twitter.com/1EOUXrWIfr — Sonam Mahajan (@AsYouNotWish) December 19, 2016

Why was the Goat sacrificed? Pilot doesnt trust the plane? PIA doesnt trust the Pilot? CAA doesnt trust PIA or Passengers dont trust anyone? — Jibran Nasir (@MJibranNasir) December 18, 2016

Why was the Goat sacrificed? Pilot doesnt trust the plane? PIA doesnt trust the Pilot? CAA doesnt trust PIA or Passengers dont trust anyone? — Jibran Nasir (@MJibranNasir) December 18, 2016

An investigation is still ongoing to determine what could have caused flight PK661 to lose altitude on December 7, with PIA insisting the “aircraft did not have any known defect” prior to takeoff from the Chitral region.