158 Estimated Dead At Air India Plane Crash Outside Mangalore (Video Update)
159 people were killed in southern India as an Air India Express plane crashed over a cliff in a failed landing attempt early this morning. The plane was traveling from Dubai to Mangalore, where the pilot missed the landing platform and flew the plane into a cliff. The plane was carrying 166 people, and while eight people were initially reported to have survived, reports are now surfacing that one of them has also passed.
The New York Times is reporting:
Aviation officials said that the pilot of the Boeing 737 missed the landing threshold, a critical portion of the runway at airports where runways are shorter because of hilly terrain, by as much as 2,000 feet. The plane veered off the runway and struck a concrete navigational aid called a localizer, according to Praful Patel, India’s aviation minister.
“The wing fell of and the aircraft plunged into the valley,” Mr. Patel told reporters at a news conference.
India’s aviation minister also told the press that both pilots were experienced in landing at that airport with the same aircraft, and that there will be a “detailed inquiry” into the crash: “The DGCA has ordered an inquiry. Air India has constituted a team, headed by Executive Director (Operations) to establish the circumstances, collect data and assist the DGCA inquiry.”
Some of the surviving passengers have been able to give interviews. In MSNBC’s report, surviving passengers describe the sound of a tire blowing out, followed by the plane either losing a wing or splitting in half:
“We had no hope to survive, but we survived,” Pradeep, a passenger on the plane who is an Indian technician working in Dubai, told local television. “The plane broke into two and we jumped off the plane. As soon as the plane landed, within seconds this happened.”
The plane had a small fire at first, but then a large explosion set off a bigger blaze, he said.
“While landing at the airport, the plane deviated and hit something,” said Krishna, another survivor who gave only one name. “It caught fire and we fell out. We looked up and saw some opening and came out through that route.”
Further investigation into what happened and whether Indian airplane safety regulations are adequate are forthcoming. We will have more media reports on the story as it develops.
UPDATE (11:32 PM): Below is cable news coverage of the tragedy:
