India / Person who died in Air India Express flight accident tests COVID-19 +ve

Kozhikod: One of the deceased in the Kozhikode plane crash has tested positive for coronavirus, Kerala Minister KT Jaleel informed. A total of 18 people have died in the mishap so far.

"One of the 18 passengers who died in Kozhikode flight crash has tested COVID-19 positive", the minister was reported as saying by a news agency.

The state's Higher Education informed that samples of passenger Sudheer Varyath (45) were sent for testing and he tested positive for COVID-19.

Further, Kerala Health Minister KK Shailaja said that COVID-19 tests would be conducted on the dead and then the autopsy would be conducted. "Since its COVID-19 times, in the best interest of all, numerous people who took part in the rescue operation will have to undergo COVID-19 test. All will have to cooperate in this, as this is the need of the hour," said Shailaja.

Meanwhile, a large group of top political personalities, including Union Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and various of his cabinet colleagues arrived at the Karipur international airport on Saturday to take stock of the relief work being carried out.

According to information now received there was trouble with the landing gear and that's why the experienced pilot after aborting his first attempt to land, lifted the aircraft and flew for about 15 minutes to empty the fuel tank and then landed.

Had the veteran pilot not risen to the occasion, the tragedy would have been larger.

The plane skidded off the runway as it landed on its second attempt amid heavy rain, plunged 35 feet into the valley below, and broke into two pieces.

Following the accident, which occurred at 7.41 p.m., the Kozhikode airport has been closed and the flights scheduled to land there have been diverted to Kannur airport, about 80 km away.