At least 16 people died and 123 others injured after an Air India Express plane with 191 passengers on board skidded off the runway at Calicut International Airport, also known as Karipur Airport, in Kerala’s Kozhikode. The incident took place around 7:45 pm on Friday when the Dubai-Kozhikode Air India flight (IX-1344) was attempting to land amid heavy rainfall.

The plane broke in two after it overshot the tabletop runway and plunged around 30 feet down. Fire brigade and rescue teams rushed the spot to help extract passengers from the debris. Many people sustained injuries during the accident and rushed to nearby hospitals as ambulances were seen rushing the spot.

190 out of 191 pax have been evacuated and sent to various hospitals,” says CISF, the first responder in the incident being deployed at the Calicut Airport.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi took stock of the rescue operation going on in Karipur airport. He spoke to Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan, said Kerala chief minister’s office.

Home minister Amit Shah tweeted that he had instructed National Disaster Relief Force (NDRF) to reach the site immediately and carry out rescue operations.

“Distressed to learn about the tragic accident of Air India Express aircraft in Kozhikode, Kerala. I have instructed NDRF to reach the site at the earliest and assist with the rescue operations,”Shah tweeted.

NDRF director general SN Pradhan confirmed that teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) were being rushed to Karipur Airport for search and rescue.

According to the Civil Aviation Ministry, tthere were 174 passengers, 10 infants, two pilots and four cabin crew on board the aircraft, adding that the Air India  flight — IX 1344 — continued running to the end of the runway amid heavy rain and “fell down in the valley and broke down in two pieces”.

“Deeply anguished and distressed at the air accident in Kozhikode. Air India Express flight number AXB-1344 from Dubai to Kozhikode, overshot the runway in rainy conditions and went down 35 ft. into a slope before breaking up into 2 pieces,” tweeted Union Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri.

Deeply anguished & distressed at the air accident in Kozhikode.

The @FlyWithIX flight number AXB-1344 on its way from Dubai to Kozhikode with 191 persons on board, overshot the runway in rainy conditions & went down 35 ft. into a slope before breaking up into two pieces.

— Hardeep Singh Puri (@HardeepSPuri) August 7, 2020