Govts announce `10L compensation

The Centre and Kerala state governments announced `10 lakh each for the families of the victims of the Air India Express aircraft mishap at Kozhikode international airport on Friday, even as the civil aviation authorities recovered the black box, digital flight recorder (DFDR) and the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) from the site. These are critical to find out the cause of the accident that killed 18 people, including the pilot Capt. D.V. Sathe and the co-pilot Akhilesh Kumar.

A team from the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) and experts of the flight safety department of the Director General of Civil Aviation arrived at the airport on Saturday to inspect the mishap and wreckage.

The experts will examine the CVR and DFDR to reach a conclusion on site the of the aircraft what might have led to the tragic accident of Flight AXB1344.

Union civil aviation minister Hardip Singh Puri said weather conditions were unfavourable at the time of the landing because of the monsoon rains. The pilot seems to have tried to bring the aircraft to a halt on the runway but due to slippery conditions the plane skidded away leading, he said.

As many as 23 passengers are in a critical condition in various hospitals in Kozhikode.

VIPs made a beeline to Kozhikode on Saturday. Governor Arif Mohammad Khan, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, civil aviation minister Hardeep Singh Puri, Union minister of state V. Muraleedharan visited the site of the accident and families of the victims and the injured in hospitals.