/Air India Express plane skids off runway while landing and splits in two, killing at least 11

Air India Express plane skids off runway while landing and splits in two, killing at least 11

Nearly a dozen people were killed and over a hundred injured when an Air India Express flight crashed Friday after it skidded off a runway while landing in heavy rain.

The plane split into two, killing at least 11 people. About 123 people were injured in the crash at the Kozhikode International airport in Karipur.

The airline said in a tweet that 190 people were on board the plane, including 10 infants, two pilots and four cabin crew.

“As per the initial reports rescue operations are on and passengers are being taken to hospital for medical care,” Air India Express said.

The plane was traveling from Dubai to Kozhikode, also called Calicut, in the state of Kerala in southern India. Rajiv Jain, a spokesman for the Civil Aviation Ministry, said no fire was reported.

Hardeep Singh Puri, minister of civil aviation, said in a tweet that he was “deeply anguished and distressed” about the crash.

“The @FlyWithIX flight number AXB-1344 on its way from Dubai to Kozhikode with 191 persons on board, overshot the runway in rainy conditions & went down 35 ft. into a slope before breaking up into two pieces,” he wrote. “We are in touch with local authorities. State police have reported 11 deaths. Relief teams from Air India & AAI are being immediately dispatched from Delhi & Mumbai. All efforts being made to help passengers.”

The minister said the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau will investigate the crash.

Pinarayi Vijayan, the chief minister of Kerala, tweeted that police and fire personnel were on the scene.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

Original Source