Vande flight with 190 on board skids off runway, breaks into 2
KOZHIKODE TRAGEDY AI Express from Dubai overshoots tabletop runway; both pilots killed, toll at least 19
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM/NEW DELHI/ MUMBAI: An Air India Express flight with 190 on board overshot and fell 50 metres off the end of the runway at the Kozhikode airport in treacherous conditions on Friday, breaking into two and killing at least 19 people -- including both the pilot and the co-pilot -- in what is the deadliest commercial aviation disaster in the country in 10 years.
The Boeing 737 jet, on a Vande Bharat mission as flight AIX 1344 from Dubai, was bringing in Indians who were stranded abroad due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The crash occurred around 7.40pm, when it was raining, and the incident bore striking similarity to the 2010 Mangalore airport crash when a plane, also an Air India Express Boeing 737, overshot a tabletop runway and crashed nose-first into the ground – the last time there were as many or more people killed in a plane crash. “It was a Dubai to Kozhikode Air India Express flight. It made an over-speeding landing, overshot the runway, and fell into a valley. The aircraft has broken into two parts but it is being reported that it has not caught fire,” said Arun Kumar, chief of DGCA.
In all there were 174 adult passengers on board, 10 infants, two pilots, and four crew members. Flight records reviewed by HT showed that several of the passengers cited job loss as the reason for returning to the country.
“It was raining heavily. The pilot had given a warning before landing saying the weather was really bad. He tried for safe landing twice but lost control. The aircraft shot off the runway and skidded off and it broke into two pieces. It was a miraculous escape for many,” said V Ibrahim, among the passengers who survived with minor injuries.
Among the 19 casualties were four children, officials said.
“We are in touch with local authorities... Relief teams from Air India and AAI are being immediately dispatched from Delhi and Mumbai. All efforts being made to help passengers. A formal enquiry will be conducted by Aircraft Accident Investigation Board (AAIB),” civil aviation minister Hardeep Singh Puri.
“I have asked minister for local self government AC Moideen to rush to the airport and coordinate rescue efforts. It is another
shocking incident,” said chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan on a day when the state was also hit by a landslide that killed 15 people.
The fatalities include the flight’s commander Deepak V Sathe, a former Air Force Pilot, and co-pilot Akhikesh Kumar. Rescue personnel were on the scene and more than 150 people were taken to the hospital.
“We regret that there has been an incident regarding our aircraft,” Air India Express said in a