As many as 20 people, including two pilots, were killed and many injured after an Air India Express flight from Dubai overshot the runway of Kerala's Karipur airport, plunged down a slope and broke into two pieces late on Friday.

The Boeing aircraft, carrying 189 passengers and six crew, attempted to land amidst heavy tailwinds and rain on the table-top runway. It failed to hold on the runway due to poor weather conditions, and skidded for more than 75 m.

Here are the latest updates:

Deceased passenger tests positive for COVID-19

One of the passengers, who died when an Air India Express flight from Dubai crashed landed at the airport, has tested positive for COVID-19.

Higher Education Minister K.T. Jaleel told the media that samples of the passenger, Sudheer Varyath (45), were sent for testing and it has returned positive for the disease.

Health Minister K K Shailaja has asked all the people who were engaged in the rescue operations should report to the health authorities and go on self quarantine as a precautionary measure and get themselves tested.

The condition of 16 passengers, admitted to various hospitals, is serious, Malappuram Collector K Gopalakrishnan said. - PTI

Black box recovered from the site

The black box of the Air India flight, which includes the Digital Flight Data Recorder (DFDR) and a Cockpit Voice Recorder, has been recovered from the accident site. Together, the data and cockpit recorders (electronic flight data recorders) help understand the ‘what’, ‘how’ and ‘why’ of the event.

Tiny chips in these devices record hundreds of streams of data on parameters that include aircraft performance (speed, height, rate of climb or descent, flight path, location, fuel levels, engine temperature and exhaust as well as flap positions), the state of other systems and other equipment.

The data helps experts piece together the cause of an accident or serious incident. According to experts, investigators do not have to fully reconstruct a flight to understand the cause of an accident. Much of the information needed can be deciphered from the parameters rather than using a flight simulator or animation.

Complete black box analysis can be done only by a few specialised agencies worldwide, especially as there are various models; the West leads in this. Specialised laboratories can pitch in too.

AI Express plane touched down near taxiway, 1,000 metres from beginning of runway

The Air India Express plane touched down near a taxiway that is around 1,000 metres from the beginning of the runway at the Kozhikode airport before breaking up into two pieces, according to AAI.

The pilot of the flight could not sight the runway in the first landing attempt due to heavy rains.

The Kozhikode airport in Kerala has a table-top runway and is operated by the Airports Authority of India (AAI). Generally, table-top runways are constructed on a hilly or an elevated terrain.

An AAI spokesperson said that runway 28 was in use and in the first landing attempt, the pilot could not sight the runway and requested for runway 10.

Citing information from the Air Traffic Controller (ATC), the spokesperson said the aircraft touched down near taxiway ‘C’, which is approximately 1,000 metres from the beginning of runway 10. The total length of the runway is 2,700 metres.

The spokesperson also said that it was raining over the airfield and reported visibility at the time of landing was 2,000 metres. - PTI

Kerala governor, CM and Ministers leave for Karipur

Kerala Governor Arif Muhammad Khan and a team of Cabinet Ministers led by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan have left Thiruvananthapuram for Karipur in Kozhikode in a special flight operated by Air India.

The team includes Chief Secretary Vishwas Mehta, State Police Chief Loknath Behera, Health Minister K.K. Shylaja, Industries Minister E.P. Jayarajan, Minister for Ports Ramachandran Kadannapally, Minister for Transport A.K. Saseendran and Excise Minister T.P. Ramakrishnan.

Leader of the Opposition Ramesh Chennithala has left for Karipur by car from his private residence at Haripad in Alappuzha district. He is expected to join the delegation. - G. Anand from Thiruvananthapuram

Rescue workers asked to go into quarantine

Kerala Health Minister K.K. Shylaja has urged those who had engaged in relief and rescue works at the air crash site to go into quarantine. This comes after some the deceased tested positive for coronavirus.

The Air India flight was part of Vande Bharat mission to bring back Indians stuck in the Middle Eastern countries during the pandemic.

Boeing offers to assist in Air India Express accident probe

Manufacturer Boeing has offered technical assistance to probe the cause behind the accident.

“Boeing is prepared to provide a technical team to assist the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board, in accordance with ICAO Annex 13 guidelines, as The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) of India conducts its investigation,” Boeing said in a statement.

“We extend our deepest condolences to the families and friends of those who lost their lives in the Air India Express accident at Kozhikode International Airport,” the statement said.

“Our thoughts are also with the passengers and crew who were injured, and we hope for their swift recovery. We are in contact with the Air India team, and have offered to support them in any way possible,” it added. - Lalatendu Mishra from Mumbai

Four cabin crew members safe, says airlines

Four cabin crew members of the Air India Express flight that crash landed at the Karipur airport here are safe, the national transporter said on Saturday.

“The four cabin crew members are confirmed safe,” Air India Express said in a bulletin.

Air India Express Employees Union said cabin crew suffered some injuries and are under treatment at the Kozhikode hospital. - PTI

Update on the condition of the injured:

The condition of 12 passengers admitted to the Government Medical College Hospital in Kozhikode and the 16 passengers admitted to the Government General Hospital is stable, according to the Health Department.

Seven of the passengers admitted to the Meitra Hospital in Kozhikode have tested negative for SARS-CoV-2. One of them is on ventilator support.

Family members of pilots arrive in Kozhikode

The family members of the two pilots who passed away in the crash have arrived at Kozhikode from Mumbai. The pilot-in-command Captain Deepak Sathe and his co- pilot Akhilesh Kumar were among those who lost their lives.

The flight also brought members of the aircraft recovery team and flight safety team, among others.

Avoid speculation on safety of runway, says Minister

Minister of State for External Affairs V. Muraleedharan & a team of DGCA officials reached the airport early on Saturday morning to inspect the site of the accident.

Mr. Muraleedharan said that there is no need for speculation on the safety of runway, and that the DGCA team and Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (a division of the Ministry of Civil Aviation) are inspecting the site.

Union Minister of Civil Aviation Hardeep Singh Puri said that the inclement weather could be cause of accident. Mr. Puri is expected to reach the accident site by noon today. - Biju Govind from Kozhikode

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

Airport Control Room: 0483 2719493

Malappuram Collectorate: 0483 2736320

Kozhikode Collectorate: 0495 2376901

Air India Express helpline number in Sharjah: 00971 6 5970303.