16 die as AI flight falls into valley

Pilot among dead; plane overshot Kozhikode tabletop runway, broke apart

At least 16 persons including pilot D.V. Sathe were killed when an Air India Express aircraft from Dubai overshot the runway at the Kozhikode International Airport and fell into a 35-feet valley at its far end before breaking into two pieces on Friday evening.

There were 174 passengers on board, including 10 infants, two pilots and five crew members. Aviation ministry said there were

190 passengers. The flight was part of Centre’s Vande Bharat Mission to bring back expatriates from the Gulf region.

According to officials, the casualties are likely to go up considering the critical injuries sustained by many passengers, who are currently under treatment in various hospitals .

The co-pilot and a majority of passengers who sustained serious injuries have been admitted to the Kozhikode Medical College Kozhikode, Malabar Institute of Medical Science (MIMS) and Baby Memorial Hospital.

Air India Express

AXB1344, a Boeing 737 aircraft, which took off from Dubai at 4.45 pm landed on Runway No 10 at Kozhikode at 7.41 pm amid heavy rain and low visibility. According to a DGCA statement, the aircraft after landing continued moving till it hit the boundary wall, fell into a valley and broke in two.

The front portion of the aircraft from the cockpit to the main passenger door got ripped off due to the impact of the accident. Several passengers who were trapped inside the aircraft were rescued by police personnel, CISF, fire and local people.

Over 60 ambulances from various hospitals of Kozhikode and Mala-ppuram districts rushed to the airport to take the injured to hospitals.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan directed ministers A.C. Moideen and minister K.T. Jaleel to rush to the airport and oversee rescue operations. The North Zone IG was asked to coordinate the rescue operations, the district administration of Kozhikode and Malappuram asked to provide medical care to the injured.

The rescue operations were carried out amid heavy rains.

— PTI Airport officials and rescuers gather around the Air India Express flight that skidded off the runway while landing in Kozhikode on Friday. There were 190 persons on board en route from Dubai in the flight.