India: Passenger Plane Skids Off Runway In Kerala

An Air India Express passenger plane with 191 passengers onboard skidded off the runway in the southern Indian state of Kerala on Friday evening.

Officials said that the incident took place at the Kozhikode city amid the rainfall the state is witnessing.

According to India's Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the plane broke down into two pieces at the Kozhikode International Airport.

"Air india Express AXB1344, B737 Dubai to Calicut, person on board 191, visibility 2000 meter, heavy rain, after landing Runway 10, continue running to end of runway and fall down in the valley and broke down in two pieces," the DGCA said.

While there was no official word on the casualties, Alphons KJ, a leader of the ruling Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) from Kerala and former Indian minister, said that the pilot has died and that plane did not catch fire.

"Second tragedy of the day in Kerala: Air India Express skids off the runway at Kozhikode, front portion splits, pilot dies and lots of passengers injured. All passengers evacuated. Very lucky the aircraft didn't catch fire," he said on Twitter.

Indian Home Minister Amit Shah also tweeted about the incident. "Distressed to learn about the tragic accident of Air India Express aircraft in Kozhikode, Kerala. Have instructed NDRF to reach the site at the earliest and assist with the rescue operations," he said, referring to the National Disaster Response Force.

Meanwhile, Kerala's Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that he instructed authorities to take urgent action.

"Minister A.C Moideen will lead the rescue efforts at the Kozhikode International Airport. Police and Fire Force personnel have been deployed at the crash site of the Air india Express AXB1344, B737 Dubai (@DXB)to Calicut ," he tweeted. -