At least 154 feared killed in Mangalore air crash

At least 154 passengers are feared dead when an Air India Express Boeing 737-800 flight from Dubai overshot a runway at the Mangalore airport, and burst into flames as it crashed into a wooded valley on Saturday at 6.10. a.m.

The cause of the accident has not yet been established. An Air Traffic Control official told The Hindu ruled out poor visibility as a cause. "Visibility was six km."

The bodies of those who died in the crash are being taken to Government Wenlock Hospital, Hampankatta, Mangalore. A Help Desk has been set up at the airport, which can be reached at (0091) 0824 2220422 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting (0091) 0824 2220422 end_of_the_skype_highlighting and 0824 2010167.

Mangalore 0824 2220450,2220451, 2010145

Bangalore 080 66785172, 22273310

Mumbai 022 2279616

Dubai airport 00971- 42165828/29

Fire tenders have reached the area which is in terrain that is relatively inaccessible.

Nine passengers miss flight: Manifest

According to the passenger list available with The Hindu at least nine passengers did not board the flight and were listed as "No Show".

There are at least eight survivors, official sources told The Hindu. The survivors include: Joel Prathap D’Souza (KMC hospital, described as a “young man around 25-30 years old”), Mohammad Umer Farooqi, (KMC hospita), Sabrina Haq, a medical intern from at the Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore (KMC hospital). Three other survivors, Mayan Kutty, from Kasargod, Pradeep G.K., from Tannirbhavi, Mangalore, and Krishnan Kollikunnu, have been admitted to the SCS Hospital, Mangalore, Abdulla Puttur Ismail is admitted to K.S. Hegde Hospital, Derlakatte, Mangalore Taluk and Mohammad Usman at Unity Hospital.

Bank employee, child feared dead

Narayan Rao (48), an employee of the Karnataka Bank, Bejai branch, a child Hiba Zeena were identified as among the dead.

All flights to and from Mangalore have been cancelled until further notice.

The captain of the flight, F. Glusica, from Serbia, and his co-pilot H.S. Ahluwalia, are feared dead.

Mr. D'Souza came to the airport from the crash site in a vehicle and said he was a survivor of the crash. He was immediately moved to the hospital

According to M.R. Vasudeva, Airport Manager, Bajpe, there were six crew members on board. Village residents have rescued six passengers. The airport has a table top runway.

Govind Belgaumkar reports from Mangalore airport:

"Anxious and frightened relatives and friends of the Air India Express flight passengers from Dubai that overshot the runway and burst into flames, throng the Mangalore airport for news of their loved ones. The airport authorities have pasted the passenger list on pillars in the airport.

The exact number of causalties is still not known, but the injured have been removed to four hospitals. These are S.C.S Hospital, Balmatta, Mangalore; KMC Hospital, Jyothi Cirlce, mangalore; Government Wenlock Hospital; and A.J. Hopsital".

Amongst those who have been waiting from 7 a.m. at the airport are Annette D'Mello and Preena Castellino whose relatives were on the flight. In tears, they told The Hindu that the names of Venisha Nicola Lobo (15), Vishal Floyd Lobo (8) and Flavia Shakuntala Lobo (39) were not on the first list of survivors that the airport authorities have issued. "We are not getting any information," Ms. D'Mello said. "The help desk has given us the names of the four hospitals, that is all."

From Anisha Sheth in A.J. Hospital, Mangalore:

Mr. Farooqi from Ullalpet in Mangalore, who survived the crash, said: "I heard a loud noise and in a few seconds the cabin was full of fire and smoke. The plane disintegrated. I saw a burning hole and through it trees outside, and I managed to free myself and get to the opening. The opening itself was in flames, so I covered my face with my hands and jumped. I fell a few feet to the ground and saw it was a hilly area. I crawled away from the flames and some village residents took me on a two wheeler to the nearest junction. From there an auto brought me to the hospital." Mr. Farooqi had gone to Dubai in search of a job.