Kerala Plane Crash Live Updates: Hardeep Puri, Kerala Govt Announce Ex-gratia Of Rs 10 Lakh For Deceased

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:

08/08/2020 

2:09PM: Kerala government announces Rs 10 lakh compensation to families of those who lost their lives in the Air India Express flight crash at Karipur airport in Kozhikode.

1:48PM: Kozhikode plane crash: Pilot-in-command Deepak Sathe was an experienced Boeing 737-800 aircraft pilot, says Air India Express.

1:33PM: Union Minister Hardeep Puri announces Rs 10 lakh interim relief for each of the deceased, Rs 2 lakh for the seriously injured and Rs 50,000  for those who suffered minor injuries in AIE flight mishap in  Kozhikode.

1:10PM: "He was a great son & always first one to help others in need. His teachers still appreciate him," says Neela Sathe, mother of late captain DV Sathe who was flying the flight which crash-landed at Kozhikode airport. 

12:35PM: Probe Into Plane Crash Is On, Says Centre

 "Visited the crash site at #Calicut Airport. Officials of @airindiain and AAI briefed on how the accident had occurred. The investigation is on to ascertain various aspects of the crash," Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan said in a tweet.

12:30PM: 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. Read full story here

12:22PM: Deceased Passenger Tests Covid Positive

One of the 18 passengers who died in the crash has tested positive for COVID-19. Higher Education Minister K T Jaleel told media that samples of the passenger, Sudheer Varyath (45), were sent for testing and it has returned positive.

11:28AM: Incident occurred around 7:40 pm. Aircraft overshot runway & fell off tabletop, splitting into two. Over 40 CISF personnel, Quick Response Team & Chief Airport Security Officer reached in minutes & started evacuation with Airports Authority of India: MA Ganapathy, Special DG CISF

10:47AM: "My heart bleeds for the air accident of Air India Express in Kozhikode and landslide in Idukki. My thoughts are with those who lost their beloved ones and are injured. I hope search & rescue will conclude as quickly as possible," says Satoshi Suzuki, Ambassador of Japan to India

10:46AM: All those who were involved in rescue operations at Kozhikode Airport should go into self-quarantine. State Government to conduct COVID-19 tests of all, says KK Shailaja, Kerala Health Minister.

10:44AM: Digital Flight Data Recorder (DFDR) has been recovered from the aircraft. Floor board is being cut to retrieve Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR), says a Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) official. 

10:19AM: I have seen debris, Air India Express aircraft is broken into 2 pieces. Inspection is being done. Some part of aircraft was torn apart during rescue operation. DGCA has announced enquiry. Civil Aviation Minister will reach around 12 pm, says V Muraleedharan,MoS External Affairs. 

9:56AM: Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DG), Civil Aviation Ministry senior officials, Airports Authority of India, and Air Navigation Service members to meet in Delhi today over crash landing of an Air India Express flight in Kozhikode yesterday.

9:35AM: "18 people, including two pilots, have lost their lives, it is unfortunate. Under the Vande Bharat Mission, the flight was coming from Dubai carrying 190 passengers. Pilot must have tried to bring the flight to the end of tabletop airport's runway where it skidded due to slippery conditions owing to monsoon," says Hardeep Singh Puri, Civil Aviation Minister. 

9:03AM: The death toll has recahed 18 with one more passenger succumbing to injuries.

9:01AM: The Indian Consulate in Dubai will remain open on Saturday to help those who need assistance to travel to Kerala and provide information about the crash of the Air India Express flight that skidded off a hilltop runway and split in two while landing in heavy rain at an airport in Kozhikode.  

8:45AM: Air India Express says three relief flights had been arranged to Kozhikode in Kerala to assist passengers and their family members affected by the plane crash a day ago.

8:40AM: The Indian Consulate in Dubai will remain open on Saturday to help those who need assistance to travel to Kerala and provide information about the crash 

07/08/2020

12:17 AM: Seventeen people, including the pilot, lost their lives  in the Dubai-Calicut Air India Express flight crash at Karipur  airport, says Malappuram Collector K Gopalakrishnan

12:03 AM: Captain Deepak Sathe, one of the two pilots who were killed in the plane crash at Kerala's Kozhikode airport on Friday, was an alumnus of the National Defence Academy (NDA). | Read More 

11:50 PM: Malappuram collector has informed that rescue operations at site have been completed. All the injured have been transferred to hospitals in Malappuram and Kozhikode. Directorate General of Civil Aviation says death toll in the flight crash landing incident is at 16.

11:30 PM: Union Minister Hardeep Puri says AAI relief teams are being dispatched from Delhi, Mumbai. He also says formal enquiry will be conducted by Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau.

11:29PM: Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri says Air India express flight overshot Kozhikode runway in rainy conditions, went down 35 feet into slope, split into two.

11:04 PM: Visuals from outside the Karipur airport.

11:00 PM: The death toll in Kozhikode plane crash has mounted to 16. More than 120 are injured.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

18 people, including two pilots, have lost their lives, it is unfortunate. 127 people are at hospitals, others have been released: Hardeep Singh Puri, Civil Aviation Minister on #AirIndiaExpress flight that crash-landed at Kozhikode International Airport in Karipur yesterday