An Indian plane with around 190 passengers on Friday crashed after skidding off the runway during its landing at the Karipur Airport in Kerala’s Kozhikode city due to heavy rain.
At least 20 people have died including the two pilots with the toll expected to rise.
The Air India Express flight IX 1344 operated by B737 aircraft from Dubai to Calicut broke into two pieces, and many passengers were injured.
According to India’s Ministry of Civil Aviation, there 174 were passengers on board, 10 infants, two pilots and four were cabin crew.
Kerala’s Chief Minister Pinarai Vijayan called on police and fire officials “to take urgent action” following news of the crash.
“Have also directed the officials to make necessary arrangements for rescue and medical support,” Vijayan said in a tweet.
India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar have both reacted on Twitter.
“Pained by the plane accident in Kozhikode. My thoughts are with those who lost their loved ones. May the injured recover at the earliest,” Modi wrote.
Jaishankar added “deeply distressed to hear about the Air India Express tragedy at Kozhikode. Prayers are with the bereaved families and those injured. We are ascertaining further details.”
