Kerala rains: Air India Express flight skids at Karipur airport in Kozhikode

Among the 17 dead are Captain D V Sathe and First Officer Akhilesh, many more are known to be in critical condition

At least 17 passengers were killed and 173 injured after an Air India Express flight from Dubai skidded off the runway and broke into two at the Kozhikode international airport at Karipur in Malappuram district on Friday.

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According to a statement from Air India Express, AIE flight IX 1344 from Dubai to Kozhikode overshot the runway at 7.41 pm. “No fire reported at the time of landing. There are 174 passengers, ten infants, two pilots and four cabin crew on board the aircraft,” the statement said.

Help centres are being set up in Sharjah and Dubai, the statement added. The DGCA, which ordered a probe into the incident, said in a statement that after landing on Runway 10, the plane continued till the end of the runway, fell into the valley and broke into two portions.

Local sources said the aircraft fell to the deep side of the table-top runway and hit the compound wall after over-shooting the runway. The cockpit and the tail portion from the wings were detached due to the impact of the collision.

The condition of several passengers was said to be critical. The deceased included the captain and the first officer, identified as Deepak Vasant Sathe and Akhilesh Kumar. Heavy rain and poor visibility were said to be the main reason for the mishap.

Locals and fire fighting units of the airport initiated the initial rescue operations and were later joined by NDRF. Around 50 ambulances rushed to the spot and shifted all passengers to hospitals in Malappuram and Kozhikode districts.

The condition of around ten was stated to be serious. A youth who took part in the rescue operations said that many people suffered serious injuries.

Fire and rescue teams from two districts — Kozhikode and Malappuram — have been engaged. Seriously injured passengers have been admitted to the Kozhikode medical college.

Over 25 passengers were returning after losing jobs, while a same number of passengers were returning owing to expiry of visa.

The condition of a mother and child injured in the accident was very serious, Health minister K K Shailaja said.

There was a fuel leak in the aircraft, leading to us not being able to use electric cutters, two passengers were stuck in the tail section of the aircraft, said Malappuram district collector at 2345 hrs. We received several ambulances from nearby districts. It was a joint effort by NDRF, firefighters, and many others. We were able to evacuate all passengers in 90 minutes, he added.

Air India Express AXB1344, B737 Dubai to Calicut, persons on board 191, visibility 2000 meter, heavy rain, after landing Runway 10, continue running to the end of the runway and fall down in the valley and broke down in two pieces, DGCA said in a statement.

Relief teams from Air India and Airports Authority of India are being immediately dispatched from Delhi & Mumbai. All efforts being made to help passengers. A formal inquiry will be conducted by AAIB, said Union Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri.

"Pained by the plane accident in Kozhikode. My thoughts are with those who lost their loved ones. May the injured recover at the earliest. Spoke to Kerala CM @vijayanpinarayi Ji regarding the situation. Authorities are at the spot, providing all assistance to the affected," said PM Modi.

Kerala has been hit by heavy rains in recent days. Over 10 were killed on Friday after a landslide triggered by heavy rains flattened a row of huts in Munnar.

Previously in 2010 an Air India Express Boeing 737-800 from Dubai to Mangalore overshot the runway and burst into flames. Both Mangalore and Kozhikode airports are considered tabletop airports.

(With inputs from PTI)