Kerala: Air India plane breaks into two while landing; many are injured

By kanchan.

Due to heavily raining the Air India plane has crashed at Karipur Airport in Kozhikode. The plane was landing at the airport. As per the images at hand, the plane can be seen in severely damaged condition. It was a Dubai-Kozhikode Air India flight number IX-1344 with 191 persons on board, overshot the runway in rainy conditions & went down 35 ft. into a slope before breaking up into two pieces, tweets Civil aviation minister Hardeep Singh Puri. The cockpit and cabin have suffered extensive damage. Deepak Sathe, the pilot of the plane has died in the crash.

The rescue team is trying their best in saving the passengers as per the latest information 30-40 people have been admitted in hospital. In the plane crashed, the first 5 rows of seats suffered extensive damage. The chances of passengers seated in the first 5row survival are highly unlikely that they would survive the crash. A popular global flight tracker website indicates that the Air India Express plane that skidded on the runway at Kerala’s Kozhikode tried to land at least twice at the tabletop airport.
At least 14 persons, including the pilot and co-pilot, have been killed as an Air India Express aircraft. Malappuram SP has confirmed the death toll. Several passengers have been injured and rushed to a medical facility. Initial reports say the incident took place at around 8.15 pm.
NDRF chief: Rescue Operation Underway
NDRF chief SN Pradhan told NDTV that rescue operations are on in full swing in Kerala.
“Whole idea is to take the passengers to safety. 24 or more than that ambulances, as per one of my officers were told, have reached. Doctors have also reached,” SN Pradhan said. He further added that “There’s waterlogging everywhere. In fact, the land plane skidded is filled with water. I think we are equipped for it. We will be working as civil aviation directs us,”
Reacting to the accident, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said, “I have instructed the police and the fire force to take urgent action in the wake of the plane crash at the Kozhikode International airport (CCJ) in Karipur.”