The digital flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder of the flight that skidded off the runway in Kozhikode, Kerala have been recovered by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AIIB) on Saturday, 8 August.
Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, in a tweet, said the cause of the accident is being investigated.
WHAT HAD HAPPENED?
Air India Express flight (IX-1344) from Dubai carrying 190 passengers skidded off the runway during landing at Karipur Airport in Kozhikode, Kerala on Friday. Reportedly, 18 people died in the incident.
WHO IS INVESTIGATING?
According to Hindustan Times, an Air India Express flight left Delhi on Saturday, at 2 am, with investigation officers from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AIIB), chief executive of Air India Express (AIE) and other Air India and AIE officials.
Angels of Air India and GO employees also reportedly left from Mumbai during early hours of Saturday to coordinate with various agencies, and provide support and assistance to kin of those affected by the crash.
Later, the teams on the site were joined by Air India’s chairman and managing director, as well as other senior officials, reported HT.
Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri also arrived at the spot.
“Reached Kozhikode to take stock of the status and implementation of relief measures after the air accident last evening. Will hold consultations with senior civil aviation officials and professionals.”Hardeep Singh Puri
Minister of State for External Affairs V Murleedharan tweeted on Saturday that he, too, had visited the crash site and received a brief on how the accident had occurred.
“The investigation is on to ascertain various aspects of the crash,” Murleedharan had said.
WHAT WE KNOW SO FAR
According to Hindustan Times, the civil aviation ministry informed on Friday evening that no fire was reporting at the time of landing. The civil aviation regulator also reportedly said:
“Visibility was 2,000 metre and rains were reported. Aircraft was at full speed while landing and overshot the Runway 10. It continued running to the end of the runway and fell down in the valley and broke down into two pieces.”
Further, the information is that the Air India Express pilots had attempted two landings before the final one.
A senior DGCA investigator told ANI:
“According to weather radar, the approach was for runway 28 but as pilots found difficulties they went around twice and came from the opposite side on runway 10 and the plane crash-landed at Kerala’s Kozhikode airport.”
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