Kozhikode: In a tragic incident, a Dubai-Kozhikode Air India flight crashed at the Calicut International Airport (Karipur airport) upon landing on Friday, August 7 night. The Dubai-Kozhikode Air India flight (IX-1344) is reported to have crashed at around 7.10 PM.
So far, there is no clarity as to how many people were on board, although ANI has reported that there were around 191 people, both passengers and crew in the aircraft, many of whom were injured in the crash. The aircraft reportedly overshot the tabletop runway at the Karipur airport and fell 30 feet below, where it split in two. The cockpit area of the aircraft is said to have been severely damaged.
Reports also added that all the injured have been moved to hospitals in Malappuram, which is near the airport, for treatment.
According to TNM, although flights are usually diverted to other airports if the weather is bad at the Karipur airport, sources say that this was not done on Friday, even though heavy rains are currently lashing Kozhikode.
Malayalam news channels were told by a member of the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) that no serious injuries were reported. However, this has not been confirmed by the police.
All ambulances from Kozhikode and Malappuram have been diverted to the airport, MLA TV Ibrahim told the media, adding that he hasn’t been able to reach the airport to confirm anything he has heard about the accident.
To many from Mangaluru, this plane crash brings back vivid memories of the plane that crashed in a similar manner at the Mangalore International Airport a decade ago.
More details awaited
