An Air India aircraft overshot a runway in Mangalore yesterday, crashing into a gorge and killing all but a few of the 160 passengers on board as well as two pilots and four crew.
At least 158 people are feared dead following the incident at around 6.30am (local time) at the southern Indian city's 'table-top' Bajpe airport.
Nearby residents rushed to the scene, describing "shocking" scenes as they pulled charred bodies from the wreckage.
Eight people survived the crash and are currently being treated in nearby hospitals, officials said. Unconfirmed reports suggest that the pilot was a British citizen of Serbian origin. The crash happened during heavy rains that also hampered rescue efforts. It is believed that cloudy conditions and reduced visibility may have contributed to the incident.
The airport is located on a plateau surrounded by hills, making it difficult for the firefighters to reach the scene.
The table-top runway ends in a valley. As a result, if a plane overshoots it is likely to result in a major incident, aviation experts have said. One witness described plumes of smoke coming from the valley after the crash. Mohammad Haris, 42, who lives near the airport, was alerted to the crash at about 6.30am.
"I heard a loud bang early in the morning. Initially I couldn't understand what happened, but then I saw smoke coming out from the valley near the airport.
"Along with a few other neighbours, I rushed to the spot. It was rather difficult to reach the site because of the dense vegetation. We began pulling bodies from the wreckage and one of us informed the local authorities. I have never seen anything like this before. I am shocked."
Another local resident known only as Balakrishna (34), said: "It took a while to absorb what had happened. After that we did what was needed to be done."
Rescue workers estimate the efforts could carry on well into the evening, but the chances of finding any more survivors are bleak.
C Basavanna, a regional fire officer, said: "We arrived here at 7am after receiving an emergency call. Only 30% of the rescue work has been done so far and it may carry on beyond 7pm."
One of the survivors, known only as Pradeep, told an Indian news channel that the front tyre of the aircraft burst after the plane had landed.
The technician from Dubai, who was returning home to Mangalore, added that he managed to jump from the plane and was helped by villagers who had heard the crash.
The crash is believed to be the worst in India since the November 1996 mid-air collision between a Saudi airliner and a Kazakh cargo plane near New Delhi that killed 349 people. Air India director Anup Srivastava said in a statement: "Air India Express regrets to announce that a B737-800 aircraft operating as flight IX-812 from Dubai to Mangalore was involved in an accident early this morning.
"The accident occurred after the aircraft landed at Mangalore airport and overshot the runway. We are confirming the number of casualties."
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