Kozhikode: An Air India Express flight carrying 191 passengers from Dubai skidded off the runway and broke up into two while landing at the Karipur airport here Friday night, police sources said.
AIE sources told PTI that 184 passengers and crew were in the flight. The flight — IX 1344 — landed at the airport at around 7.40 pm.
After landing at runway 10, the flight continued running to end of the runway and fell down in the valley and broke into two portions, the statement said. The passengers include 10 infants, two pilots, and four cabin crew members.
An airline spokesperson said the aircraft apparently overshot the runway. Malappuram SP Abdul Kareem said there could be casualties.
About 40 ambulances have reached the accident spot and are taking the passengers to various hospitals in Kozhikode and Malappuram. According to information received here, the passengers sitting in the front row have been seriously injured.
Sources said the pilot and two others have been killed while 45 were critically injured. The condition of 12 passengers who were brought to a private hospital is reported to be serious.
Rescue operations are progressing. It had been raining heavily at the time of the accident. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said police and fire force personnel have been directed to take all measures for rescue and relief operations. Further details were not immediately known. Air India Express has only Boeing 737 planes in its fleet.
