Air India Plane Crash: 160 Dead
An Air India plane crashed in the southern Indian city of Mangalore killing at least 160 people on board.
An Air India Express Flight IX-892 from Dubai to Mangalore in India overshot the airport runway and burst into flames. The Boeing 737-800 airplane was carrying 169 passengers on board, which included 6 crew members. Around 160 people are feared dead, while around 8 - 9 surviving passengers have been rushed to nearby hospitals with serious injuries. The crash took place at 6:30 am local IST (9 p.m. ET Friday). Emergency services have been activated at the crash site.
Karnataka State's Western Range Inspector General of Police Gopal Hosur said, "8 to 10 people have been shifted to hospitals. Although if they will survive is unsure. They are being treated. This is a highly unfortunate event. The police force, bomb squad, fire force, KSRP and all the hospitals are working unitedly to help out in this situation. We are doing the best we can."
As per reports from the Airport Traffic Control (ATC), the pilot did not report any problems or malfunctioning just before landing, but the plane overshot the runway by nearly 2000 meters and burst into flames. Witnesses say that the airplane overshot the runway, crashing into the boundary wall and going down into a valley. This airport has a table-top runway and is located on a hilltop. Besides, the length of the runway is quite small. As a result, take off and landing is quite difficult and demands 100% accuracy. The area has also been hit by a lot of rain due to Cyclone Laila.
The hilly terrain around the airport caused difficulty for the rescue teams to arrive at the scene. Around 25 ambulances have been rushed to the crash site, along with numerous firefighters. The airport has been shut down for now and the entire surrounding areas have been cordoned off. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation has ordered an inquiry into the crash.
Karnataka State's Western Range Inspector General of Police Gopal Hosur said, "8 to 10 people have been shifted to hospitals. Although if they will survive is unsure. They are being treated. This is a highly unfortunate event. The police force, bomb squad, fire force, KSRP and all the hospitals are working unitedly to help out in this situation. We are doing the best we can."
As per reports from the Airport Traffic Control (ATC), the pilot did not report any problems or malfunctioning just before landing, but the plane overshot the runway by nearly 2000 meters and burst into flames. Witnesses say that the airplane overshot the runway, crashing into the boundary wall and going down into a valley. This airport has a table-top runway and is located on a hilltop. Besides, the length of the runway is quite small. As a result, take off and landing is quite difficult and demands 100% accuracy. The area has also been hit by a lot of rain due to Cyclone Laila.
The hilly terrain around the airport caused difficulty for the rescue teams to arrive at the scene. Around 25 ambulances have been rushed to the crash site, along with numerous firefighters. The airport has been shut down for now and the entire surrounding areas have been cordoned off. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation has ordered an inquiry into the crash.
Like This Article?
Follow:
Post Comment