Air India Express jet with 191 passengers skids off runway, 20 dead

NEW DELHI: At least 20 people dead, and several others injured when an Air India passenger plane crashed in the southern city of Calicut on Friday.

According to the civil aviation ministry of India, the Air India Express plane from Dubai had 191 passengers and crew on board when it overshot the runway in heavy rain. 

“As per the initial reports rescue operations are on and the injured passengers are being taken to hospitals for medical treatment,” the statement said. There was no fire on board, it added.

The area police superintendent, Abdul Karim said talking to media said, “We believe there are casualties, adding that we are still in the middle of the rescue effort.” The plane fuselage split into two as it overshot the runway and fell into a valley, according to the media reports.

Just in: #AirIndia Express aircraft from Dubai to Calicut with 191 passengers crashes after overshooting the runway and going into the valley. Fire tenders and ambulances rushed to the spot.
– @jagritichandra reports

Courtsey- Airport source pic.twitter.com/8vx3WYIsmd

— The Hindu (@the_hindu) August 7, 2020

The plane was coming in from Dubai and it overshot the runway as it landed. “Several passengers are injured,” an Air India spokesman said. The fuselage split into two, local television networks said.

Another senior police official, Sujith Das talking to media said, “We have at least 89 people, many of them with serious injuries, admitted at different Kozhikode hospitals. The ambulances are still coming in,” he added.

It said there were 174 passengers, 10 infants, two pilots and five cabin crew onboard the aircraft.