Union Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and various of his cabinet colleagues arrived at the Karipur international airport on Saturday where the Air India Express flight crashed into three parts on Friday night.
Soon after visiting the accident site, Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan visited the injured who are admitted to hospitals in Malappuram and Kozhikode.
Taking to Twitter, Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said, ”My heart goes out to the families & friends of the 18 people who lost their lives in the air accident involving @FlyWithIX Flight IX-1344 in Kozhikode last evening & offer my heartfelt condolences. Reasons for the mishap are being investigated.”
Digital Flight Data Recorder (DFDR) and Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) of the ill-fated aircraft have been retrieved. AAIB (Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau) is conducting investigations,” said Puri.
After visiting the site Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan to told media that 18 people have died in the crash which includes 14 adults and 4 children. He further informed that 149 injured are undergoing treatment in hospital and 23 people have been discharged.
Civil Aviation Minister informed that the captain of the ill-fated flight had landed on this (karippur/kozhikode) airfield 27 times
The Air India Express flight, returning from Dubai under the Vande Bharat mission, crashed at the “table top” Kozhikode airport leaving 18 of the 190 people aboard dead, including the pilot, Capt DV Sathe and his co-pilot Akhilesh Kumar.
According to information now received there was trouble with the landing gear and that`s why the experienced pilot after aborting his first attempt to land, lifted the aircraft and flew for about 15 minutes to empty the fuel tank and then landed.