Aviation minister reaches Kozhikode to take stock of relief measures

Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said on Saturday that he had reached Kozhikode to take stock of the status and implementation of relief measures after the Air India Express accident a day ago. The Union minister said he would hold consultations "with senior civil aviation officials & professionals".

"Digital Flight Data Recorder (DFDR) and Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) of the ill-fated aircraft have been retrieved. AAIB (Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau) is conducting investigations," Puri tweeted. At 7.40 pm on Friday, an Air India Express flight from Dubai with 190 people on board overshot the runway at Kozhikode airport in Kerala in rainy conditions and went down 35 feet into a slope before breaking up into two, killing at least 18 people.

A DGCA official said the two devices - DFDR and CVR - were with the AAIB and would be sent to Delhi for further investigation.

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"Reached Kozhikode to take stock of the status & implementation of relief measures after the air accident last evening," Puri tweeted.

"My heart goes out to the families & friends of the 18 people who lost their lives in the air accident involving @FlyWithIX Flight IX-1344 in Kozhikode last evening & offer my heartfelt condolences," the minister said.

Reasons for the mishap are being investigated, he added.