Agency Reports
An Air India Express plane crashed in the South Indian state of Kerala after skidding off the runway while landing at Kozhikode Calicut International Airport, CNN News 18 reports.
According to police reports, the pilot and one other individual were killed in the disaster. Another 35 people were injured in the crash.
A pilot and two passengers have died in the incident, according to CNN News 18.
The flight landed in heavy rain, overshot the runway, fell down into a valley and broke into two, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said in a statement to CNN News 18.
The plane, which is a Boeing 737, had 174 passengers on board, according to a statement sent to CNN from the ministry of aviation.
A report in the MailOnline said, “At least two have died after an Air India Express plane flying from Dubai to Calicut with 191 passengers onboard overshot the runway and crashed into a valley.
The plane crashed in heavy rain at its destination at around 7.45pm (2.45pm GMT) today.
Images circulating on social media show an aircraft ruptured into two parts laying in a valley near Calicut airport, in the Indian state of Kerala.
According to police reports, the pilot and one other individual were killed in the disaster. Another 35 people were injured in the crash.
“Air India Express flight IX 1344 operated by B737 aircraft from Dubai to Calicut overshot runway at Kozhikode at 1941 hrs tonight. No fire reported at the time of landing,” the DGCA statement said, according to CNN News 18.
‘Dubai-Kozhikode Air India flight (IX-1344) skidded during landing at Karipur Airport at around 7.45 pm (2.45pm GMT) today,’ Kondotty Police told news agency ANI.
According to local media, 15 ambulances attended the crash and have rushed the injured passengers and crew to nearby hospitals.
In a tweet, former Minister of State for Tourism said that though many passengers were injured, ‘all passengers evacuated’, and the only death he reported was of the pilot.
‘Second tragedy of the day in Kerala: Air India Express skids off the runway at Kozhikode, front portion splits, the pilot dies and lots of passengers injured,’ wrote former Minister of State for Tourism KJ Alphons.
‘All passengers evacuated. Very lucky the aircraft didn’t catch fire.’
