At least two people were killed after the Air India Express Flight from Dubai to Kozhikode in Kerala crashed at the Kozhikode International Airport -- also known as the Karipur airport -- after landing on Friday night. The three deaths were announced by Malappuram MP and IUML leader PK Kunhalikutty. Reports state that two passengers - Cherikka Parambil Rajeevan (61) and Sharafudheen were killed. More casualties are feared.
The Air India Express IX 1344 flight was reportedly carrying 174 passengers, 10 infants, two pilots and five cabin crew on board the aircraft. The aircraft reportedly skid off the tabletop runway while landing and plunged 30 feet. While there was no fire reported at the time of landing, the aircraft split into two after crashing into a wall. The impact caused serious damage to the cockpit. The incident took place at around 7.40pm on Friday when there was heavy rain and poor visibility.
According to reports, the passengers who survived the crash have been shifted to the Relief and Mercy hospitals in Kondotty in Malappuram. Some passengers have also been admitted to the Kozhikode Medical College hospital.
The Kozhikode airport has a tabletop runway as it is situated on top of a plateau. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has advised additional training for pilots navigating tabletop runways such as the one in Mangaluru and in Kozhikode, reported The Hindu, quoting a pilot. As per the same report, tabletop airports create an optical illusion that requires a precise approach.
In 2017, a SpiceJet flight from Chennai skid off the runway on landing at the Kozhikode airport. However, all 60 passengers on board were safe following the incident.
Following a 2019 audit by the DGCA, the airport authorities received a show cause notice over unsafe airport maintenance.