158 killed in Mangalore air crash,8 survive

In the country’s worst air disaster in a decade,a Boeing 737 plane of Air India’s low budget carrier overshot the airport runway here and burst into flames early this morning killing 158 persons but eight others survived.

As the Air India Express flight from Dubai came into land at the Bajpe airport at around 6.30 A.M. in cloudy weather but good visibility,it went beyond the touchdown area,broke up and caught fire even as some passengers jumped out.

The aircraft,carrying 160 passengers and a crew of six,hit a concrete localiser instrument,a navigation aid,and fell into a ravine 200 to 300 metres deep. The passengers included four infants and 19 other children.

Crash Status

The status of the ill-fated Air India Express aircraft at the time of the mishap at Mangalore Airport today as received from Chairman,Airport Authority of India:

Date: 22nd May,2010

Time: 0605 IST

Aircraft Detail: Air India Express Flight No 812

Type : Boeing 737-800

Registration: VT-AXV

From/To: Dubai to Mangalore

Total Persons on Board: 166 (137 adults,19 children,4

infants and 6 crew)

Weather Conditions: Visibility 6 Kms,Wind Calm,No rain at

the time of incident