160 feared dead as Air India Express flight from Dubai catches fire at Mangalore (Second Lead)
By IANSFriday, May 21, 2010
MANGALORE - An Air India Express flight with over 160 passengers and about six crew members overshot the runway while attempting to land at Mangalore from Dubai and the plane caught fire as it fell into a forested gorge Saturday morning, police said. Mangalore is about 350 km from Bangalore.
About ten people may have survived the crash, Rescue operation were hampered by the thick smoke that engulfed the plane, airport authorities said.
The airport at Bajpe, about 30 km from Mangalore, is in a hilly area and is considered one of the most difficult airports to take off and land. The area has also been experiencing heavy rains for the last two days.
About 25 fire tenders and ambulances were at the crash site, authorities said.
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