Live Updates: 14 Dead As Air India Express Plane With Over 190 On Board Skids Off Runway At Kozhikode Airport

An Air India Express flight from Dubai skidded off the runway and split into two while
landing at the Karipur airport in Kozhikode on Friday evening.

The Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said there were approximately 191 persons on board. Former tourism minister KJ Alphons said the pilot has died and several passengers have been injured . 

Below are the live updates:

10:31 PM: MEA announces helpline numbers

1800 118 797
+91 11 23012113
+91 11 23014104
+91 11 23017905
Fax: +91 11 23018158
Email: covid19@mea.gov.in

10:28PM: "Deeply distressed to hear about the tragic plane crash of Air India Express flight at Kozhikode, Kerala. Spoke to Kerala Governor Shri Arif Mohammed Khan and inquired about the situation. Thoughts and prayers with affected passengers, crew members and their families," tweets President Ram Nath Kovind.

10:22 PM: 14 dead, 123 injured and 15 seriously injured in Kozhikode plane crash incident at Karipur Airport: Malappuram SP says.

10:18 PM: Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said, "Shocked at the news of Air India plane crash in Kozhikode. My prayers with passengers onboard the flight. Hope missing passengers are found soon. Wishing a speedy recovery to those injured."

10:09 PM: "Pained by the plane accident in Kozhikode. My thoughts are with those who lost their loved ones. May the injured recover at the earliest. Spoke to Kerala CM @vijayanpinarayi Ji regarding the situation. Authorities are at the spot, providing all assistance to the affected," Prime Minister Modi tweeted.

Pained by the plane accident in Kozhikode. My thoughts are with those who lost their loved ones. May the injured recover at the earliest. Spoke to Kerala CM @vijayanpinarayi Ji regarding the situation. Authorities are at the spot, providing all assistance to the affected.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 7, 2020

10:07 PM: PM Narendra Modi spoke to Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan on phone about Air India Express plane crash. CM Vijayan informed the PM that a team of officials including Kozhikode and Malappuram District Collectors and IG Ashok Yadav have arrived at the airport and participating in the rescue operation.

10:06 PM: Help centres are being set up at Sharjah and Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

10:00 PM: "We must remember that it is a tabletop runway at Kozhikode. There seems to have been injuries among all the passengers and some of them are unconscious. An NDRF team has been rushed to the spot and should be reaching any time there to join search 

and rescue operation," NDRF DG SN Pradhan says.

9:57 PM: Two people on board ill-fated Dubai-Calicut Air India Express flight killed in accident at Karipur airport, PTI quoted government sources as saying.

9:55 PM: "Air India Express flight IX 1344 operated by B737 aircraft from Dubai to Kozhikode overshot runway at Kozhikode at 1941 hrs tonight. No fire reported at time of landing. As per initial reports, rescue ops on & passengers being taken to hospital for medical care," said Air India Express.

9:52 PM: "Devastating news from Kozhikode, Kerala. I am deeply anguished by the loss of lives due to an accident carrying several passengers on Air India flight. In this hour of grief, my thoughts are with the bereaved families. I pray for the speedy recovery of the injured," said Rajnath Singh.

Devastating news from Kozhikode, Kerala. I am deeply anguished by the loss of lives due to an accident carrying several passengers on Air India flight.

In this hour of grief, my thoughts are with the bereaved families. I pray for the speedy recovery of the injured.

— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) August 7, 2020

9:47 PM: Relatives of passengers onboard Air India Express Flight (IX 1344) that crashed at Karipur International Airport, can contact the following Helpline Number for enquiries - 0495 - 2376901, says Kozhikode Collector.

9:46 PM: "Shocked at the devastating news of the plane mishap in Kozhikode. Deepest condolences to the friends and family of those who died in this accident. Prayers for the speedy recovery of the injured," tweeted Rahul Gandhi.

Shocked at the devastating news of the plane mishap in Kozhikode. Deepest condolences to the friends and family of those who died in this accident. Prayers for the speedy recovery of the injured.

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) August 7, 2020

9:42 PM: The CM asked all govt agencies to engage in rescue operations using all government facilities. The CM has deputed A C Moideen, minister for local bodies, to coordinate the rescue operations. AC Moideen has already left for Karipur from thrisur.

9:41 PM: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said police and fire force personnel have been directed to take all measures for rescue and relief operations

9:40 PM: The Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said there were approximately 191 persons on board.

9: 39 PM: "Deeply distressed to hear about the Air India Express tragedy at Kozhikode. Prayers are with the bereaved families and those injured. We are ascertaining further details," said External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.

9:33 PM: "Tragic day for Kerala. First the deaths in Munnar & now this: I hear both pilots have died. Hope rescue efforts will succeed in saving all the passengers #KozhikodeAirCrash," tweeted Shashi Tharoor.

Tragic day for Kerala. First the deaths in Munnar & now this: I hear both pilots have died. Hope rescue efforts will succeed in saving all the passengers #KozhikodeAirCrash https://t.co/Jd6ZjgzkHH

— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) August 7, 2020

9:28PM: Many of the injured have been rushed to the nearby Kondotty hospital. But the heavy rain is hampering rescue operations

9:26PM: As the plane landed in low visibility due to blinding rain, it reportedly went out of the pilot's control and slid off the 'tabletop' runway -- the technical name for a runway constructed on uneven or low-lying land and has steep precipices on the sides

9:24PM: The plane is reported to have fallen 30 feet off the edge of the runway at Karippur.

MEA helplines are open 24x7:
📞 1800 118 797📞 +91 11 23012113📞+91 11 23014104📞+91 11 23017905Fax: +91 11 23018158Email: covid19@mea.gov.in