Kerala Plane Crash: Death toll rises to 18 says, Hardeep Singh Puri

The death toll in the flight crash landing incident at Kozhikode International Airport in Kerala rose to 18, including two pilots, Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said on Saturday.

The minister said that he will visit the Kozhikode airport to take stock of the situation.

"Eighteen people, including two pilots, have lost their lives. It is unfortunate. 127 people are at hospitals, others have been released," said Puri on the Air India Express flight that crash-landed on Friday evening.

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"Our task would have been much more difficult if the plane had caught fire. I am going to the (Kozhikode) airport," he said.

Puri informed that two investigating teams have left for Kerala today.

"We pray for the quick recovery of the injured. It was a Vande Bharat flight carrying 190 passengers, it landed at 7:41 pm. The 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," the minister said.

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Two special relief flights have been arranged from Delhi and one from Mumbai for rendering humanitarian assistance to all the passengers and the family members in the crash-landing incident at Kozhikode, according to Air India Express.

Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and Flight Safety Departments have reached to investigate the incident, the Air India Express stated.

(ANI)

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