Vande Bharat flight crashes in Calicut, 16 killed

An Air India Express plane with 191 people on board crashed at an airport in Kerala. Sixteen people have been killed and many others injured. The number of dead may rise as many people are still trapped.

The aircraft was on its way to Calicut from Dubai when it skidded off the runway and broke in two at Calicut airport upon landing. Rescue efforts are under way, with emergency services at the scene.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was “pained by the plane accident”.

Most people on board the Boeing 737 jet have been evacuated, with at least 35 of them taken to hospital with injuries. The airline said there were 184 passengers – including 10 children and seven crew members, of which two were pilots when it crashed at Calicut.

The flight was being operated by the government to bring back Indians who were stuck overseas during the coronavirus crisis. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said the plane fell into a valley and broke in two after skidding off the end of the runway.

The aircraft broke into two pieces, with people searching through the wreckage.

Distressed to learn about the tragic accident of Air India Express aircraft in Kozhikode, Kerala. Have instructed NDRF [National Disaster Response Force] to reach the site at the earliest and assist with the rescue operations. – Amit Shah, Union Home Minister

The incident took place amid very heavy rainfall in the area around 7:40 pm. A greater tragedy was averted as the plane did not catch fire.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan tweeted, “Have instructed Police and Fire Force to take urgent action in the wake of the plane crash at the Kozhikode International airport (CCJ) in Karipur. Have also directed the officials to make necessary arrangements for rescue and medical support”.

Television images from the site showed part of the fuselage of the Boeing 737 jet ripped apart with debris strewn all over.

Civil Aviation Mnister Hardeep Singh Puri said the plane overshot the runway in rainy conditions and went down 35 feet into a slope before breaking up into two pieces.

The Kozhikode airport is one of Kerala’s most prominent international terminals and handles a significant number of flights from abroad,