Air India Express crash: At least 19, including pilot, dead in Kozhikode tragedy

Guwahati: The Air India Express flight IX 1344 crash at Kerala's Kozhikode airport has killed at least 19 persons, including the pilot and co-pilot.

As per reports, Air India Express flight carrying 191 people (including crew members) onboard that had come from Dubai in the UAE  fell into a 35-feet valley before splitting into two pieces and skidded off the runway at Kerala's Kozhikode airport on late Friday evening.

As per official reports, as many as 100 people were left injured in the mishap.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his grief over the tragedy that happened on Friday evening. The Prime Minister also informed that he had spoken with Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

"I have instructed the police and the fire force to take urgent action in the wake of the plane crash at the Kozhikode International airport (CCJ) in Karipur," Vijayan informed. Vijayan and the Governor of Kerala are set to visit the airport today to assess the situation.

The aircraft, with 190 people on board, was attempting to land amid a heavy downpour in the area when it overshot the runway around 7.40 pm and split into two after nosediving into a valley 35 feet below.

In a statement, the DGCA stated, "Visibility was 2,000 meters and there was heavy rain."

It asserted that the flight, IX-1344, shot runway 10. Rescue operations, which went on till 11 pm, are officially over.

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