Chaos, screams at accident site as locals rush to rescue

PROMPT Residents say they did not wait for ambulances, evacuated passengers in private vehicles and helped police manage traffic

THE CM SAID QUICK RESPONSE BY LOCAL RESIDENTS ENSURED MINIMUM LOSS OF LIVES IN A DISASTER OF SUCH A LARGE MAGNITUDE

THIRUVANANTHPAURAM/KOZHIKODE: Screams, blood-soaked clothes, panic and the blare of ambulance sirens captured the distressing scene at the Kozhikode airport after an Air India Express flight overshot the runway and broke up into two pieces in an accident that killed 18 people on Friday, eyewitnesses and rescue personnel said.

After the accident, local residents pitched in to assist in the rescue work and helped shift injured passengers to various hospitals, eyewitnesses said.

“It was raining heavily and we suddenly heard a deafening sound, and the aircraft came out of the boundary wall and fell on the road. We couldn’t believe it. Soon we heard cries for help. Smoke was billowing and there was smell of fuel also,” said Mohamad Sahal, a local resident who was among the first to reach the accident spot.

According to P Afzal, another resident of the area, many of them helped rescue officials. “Initially we did not wait for ambulances and evacuated the passengers in private vehicles and taxis. We also helped police in controlling traffic to make way for ambulances,” he said.

Those at the site said they saw children cling on to rescue personnel even as people personal belongings from shoes to baggage were strewn around.

“Small kids were trapped under the seats and it was such a distressing sight. When we reached there some were deplaned. Many of them were seriously injured. Legs were broken .... My hands and shirt were soaked in the blood of the injured persons,” a man who said he rushed to the airport after hearing a “terrible thud” said.

The chief minister, too, appreciated the instant response of the general public and the local authorities to the tragedy, which he said ensured minimum loss of lives in a disaster of such large magnitude.

“Even though 18 precious lives have been lost due to the impact of the crash, the rescue operations were a miraculous work. The general public and the officials played a big role in spearheading the rescue operations,” CM Pinarayi Vijayan said.

Malappuram district collector K Gopalakrishnan said: “It was a miracle we limited the damage. The local people were the first to reach the spot and they turned real heroes. They entered the aircraft risking their lives to save others. We have one aim, save maximum lives, and they played stellar role.”

Chaos and confusion also prevailed outside hospitals in Malappuram district as relatives of those on-board the flight thronged to the medical facilities to enquire about their family members.

P Noufal said his sister and five-year-old niece were on the flight that met with the accident. While he found his injured sister at Kozhikode’s Baby Memorial Hospital, he said he could not locate his niece despite making rounds of several hospitals in the district. He finally managed to find her at a private hospital with both her legs bandaged, Noufal said.

Healthcare workers said they were trying their best to treat the injured. “Initially there was some confusion but we eventually managed it well. Out of 44 patients admitted here, seven are critical,” said Dr Azad Moopan, MD of Aster Health Care, a leading health chain in the state.