Indian COVID Repatriation Flight Crashes on Landing, Leaving Casualties

Rescue workers look for survivors after a passenger plane crashed when it overshot the runway at the Calicut International Airport in Karipur, in the southern state of Kerala, India, August 7, 2020. REUTERS/Stringer
Rescue workers look for survivors after a passenger plane crashed when it overshot the runway at the Calicut International Airport in Karipur, in the southern state of Kerala, India, August 7, 2020. REUTERS/Stringer
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Indian COVID Repatriation Flight Crashes on Landing, Leaving Casualties

Rescue workers look for survivors after a passenger plane crashed when it overshot the runway at the Calicut International Airport in Karipur, in the southern state of Kerala, India, August 7, 2020. REUTERS/Stringer
Rescue workers look for survivors after a passenger plane crashed when it overshot the runway at the Calicut International Airport in Karipur, in the southern state of Kerala, India, August 7, 2020. REUTERS/Stringer

At least 18 people were killed and more than 120 injured when an Air India Express passenger plane overshot the runway and broke into two after landing in the southern city of Calicut in heavy rain on Friday, officials said.

The Boeing-737 flight from Dubai was flying home Indians stranded overseas due to the coronavirus pandemic. There were 190 passengers and crew on board, the civil aviation ministry said in a statement. Among them were 10 infants.

Television footage showed rescue workers moving around the wreckage in pouring rain. The aircraft lay split into at least two chunks after he plane's fuselage sheared apart as it fell into a valley 30 feet below, authorities said.

Media reports suggested that the plane skidded off a runway, crashing nose-first into the ground.

Among the injured on Friday night, at least 15 were in critical condition, said Abdul Karim, a senior police officer in southern Kerala state.

The dead included both pilots of the Air India Express flight, the airline said in a statement, adding that the four cabin crew were safe.

The civil aviation ministry said in a statement there was no fire on board, according to Reuters.

Local TV news channels showed passengers, some of them lying motionless on stretchers, brought into a hospital surrounded by health workers wearing masks because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Air India Express AXB1344, was a repatriation flight operated by the government to bring Indians home during international travel restrictions due to the spread of the novel coronavirus.

"Pained by the plane accident in Kozhikode" Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted referring to Calicut's new name. "My thoughts are with those who lost their loved ones. May the injured recover at the earliest," he said.



China Says Premier Li to Visit Brazil for BRICS Summit, Egypt

China's newly-elected Premier Li Qiang takes an oath after being elected during the fourth plenary session of the National People's Congress (NPC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China on March 11, 2023. GREG BAKER/Pool via REUTERS
China's newly-elected Premier Li Qiang takes an oath after being elected during the fourth plenary session of the National People's Congress (NPC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China on March 11, 2023. GREG BAKER/Pool via REUTERS
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China Says Premier Li to Visit Brazil for BRICS Summit, Egypt

China's newly-elected Premier Li Qiang takes an oath after being elected during the fourth plenary session of the National People's Congress (NPC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China on March 11, 2023. GREG BAKER/Pool via REUTERS
China's newly-elected Premier Li Qiang takes an oath after being elected during the fourth plenary session of the National People's Congress (NPC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China on March 11, 2023. GREG BAKER/Pool via REUTERS

Chinese Premier Li Qiang will visit Brazil for a meeting of BRICS countries and then Egypt next week, Beijing's foreign ministry said on Wednesday.

"Li Qiang will attend the 17th BRICS Summit upon invitation in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from July 5 to 8," a foreign ministry spokesperson said in a statement.

Beijing and Moscow have hailed the BRICS club as a counterweight to what they see as Western hegemony on the world stage, according to AFP.

A loose grouping of countries named after founding members Brazil, Russia, India and China, its members pledge to boost trade and cooperation, though it is not a trade pact and has few institutional ties.

"The BRICS cooperation mechanism is one of the most important platforms for solidarity and cooperation among emerging markets and developing countries in today's world," foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said.

"It is a vital force in promoting a more equal and orderly multipolar world and an inclusive and beneficial economic globalisation," she added.

The Kremlin said last week, however, that President Vladimir Putin would not travel to Brazil for the upcoming summit due to the outstanding International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant on the Russian president.

Following his visit to Brazil, Li will then "pay an official visit to Egypt from July 9 to 10", Beijing said.

"During the visit, Premier Li Qiang will have in-depth exchanges of views with Egyptian leaders on the development of China-Egypt relations, the deepening of mutually beneficial cooperation, and issues of common concern," Mao said.