An Air India flight from Dubai to Kozhikode in Kerala crashed at the Calicut International Airport - also known as the Karipur airport - while landing on Friday night. 17 people have been killed in the mishap, including both pilots, and 13 other passengers have been confirmed to have died. The Air India Express IX 1344 flight was reportedly carrying 174 passengers, 10 infants, two pilots and five cabin crew on board the aircraft.
The injured have been taken to hospitals near the airport, which is in Malappuram. The incident happened around 7.40 pm on Friday. The aircraft seems to have overshot the tabletop runway and plunged 30 feet down. This resulted in the aircraft splitting with serious damage to the cockpit area.
Currently, it's raining heavily in Kozhikode. According to sources, flights are usually diverted to nearby airports if the weather is bad at the Karipur airport, since it's a tabletop airport. However, it wasn't done on Friday.
A short video from the Karipur airport. Video courtesy: Neeleshwaram Varthakal pic.twitter.com/cNsyPawHJj
— Paul Oommen (@Paul_Oommen) August 7, 2020
Watch | Rescue operations underway as Air India Express flight from Dubai with 184 passengers overshoots runway during #Kerala landing pic.twitter.com/G6h6weg9JF
— NDTV (@ndtv) August 7, 2020
Many ambulances had rushed to the spot. Two people are feared dead and many severaly injured. 20 people have been shifted to the Kundotti Mercy Hospital.
A passenger aboard the flight recalled that she ‘was not sure what happened’ and that the ‘flight was moving at a high speed.’ Jaya, a passenger, told News24, “Not sure what happened. There was an announcement that the flight is going to land, not sure what happened after that. I was sitting backwards. Those sitting in the front are injured, there are even children. The flight was moving at a high speed, everyone is now saying this.”
In a statement, an Air India Express spokesperson said, “Air India Express flight IX 1344 operated by B737 aircraft from Dubai to Calicut overshot runway at Kozhikode at 1941 hours tonight. No fire reported at the time of landing. There are 174 passengers, 10 infants, 2 pilots and five cabin crew on board the aircraft. As per the initial reports rescue operations are on and passengers are being taken to hospital for medical care.”
MLA TV Ibrahim told the media that all ambulances from Kozhikode and Malappuram have been redirected to the airport. He added that while he has heard there were three casualties, he hasn't been able to reach airport authorities to confirm the same.
A tabletop runway is a runway that is located on the top of a plateau or hill with one or both ends adjacent to a steep precipice which drops into a deep gorge. This type of runway creates an optical illusion which requires a very precise approach by the pilot.
Helplines are open. #CCJaccident
— Pinarayi Vijayan (@vijayanpinarayi) August 7, 2020
These numbers will assist you in providing information about passengers who were on the Air india Express AXB1344 from @DXB to CCJ.
Airport Control Room - 0483 2719493
Malappuram Collectorate - 0483 2736320
Kozhikode Collectorate - 0495 2376901 pic.twitter.com/aPjh8ujav4
This is a developing story. These are images from the crash site. TNM is finding more information on the incident.
