Kerala Plane Crash: Puri slams 'speculations' on AI crash, says report will be made public

Kozhikode, Aug 08: Civil aviation minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Saturday called for refraining from speculative observations about the accident involving an Air India Express in Kozhikode Friday night and that issues red flagged by DGCA were addressed and rectified.

"I will encourage all to exercise patience and refrain from making speculative observations bordering on the irresponsible. Again to emphasize, all the issues were addressed and rectified," Puri tweeted.

In another tweet, he said the probe report of the accident will be made public.

"In case of Kozhikode accident, an enquiry has been ordered under Aircraft Act, black boxes of flight IX-1344 have been recovered. Findings of this investigation will be made public."

Day after an Air India Express plane overshot and fell 50 metres off the end of the runway at the airport, Puri reached the crash site and took stock of the situation.

Puri said that 18 people died in the tragedy while 149 are being treated at the hospital. He also announced ₹10 lakh assistance for the next of kin of the deceased.

"There were 190 people on board the aircraft, out of them, 18 lost their lives. 149 people were also admitted to hospitals, of out which 23 have been discharged," said Puri.

"A few patients are in critical condition, three of them are on ventilators. We visited the site of crash and two black boxes have been recovered.The precise cause of the mishap will be determined when we analyse data in those black boxes," the minister added.

19 people were killed and scores injured when an Air India Express flight from Dubai with 190 on board overshot the tabletop runway in Kozhikode airport in Kerala on Friday night while landing in heavy rains and fell into a valley 35 feet below and broke into two portions, officials said.

The Air India Express Limited said in a statement, "Unfortunately, the pilots have passed away and we are in touch with their families in their grief."