The CISF acted as first responder and a team of 40 personnel as also reinforcements evacuated most of the passengers of AI Express flight that overshot the runway at Calicut last night before other agencies arrived on the scene.
On Friday, at about 7.30 PM an Air India Express flight IX-1344 from Dubai to Calicut carrying 184 passengers and six crew members, made a crash landing at Calicut International Airport and went off the runway near Gate No.8.
“Assistant Sub-Inspector, Mangal Singh performing duty at Gate No.8, and Asstt. Sub Inspector Ajit Singh, carrying out patrolling in the area, who was near the spot responded immediately. The message was passed to the CISF control room, who in-turn informed the message to ATC Tower, AAI Fire Wing, senior officers of CISF, district authorities and other agencies,” the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) said in a statement here.
In the meantime, around 40 CISF personnel led by Deputy Commandant/CASO (Cordon and Search Operation), Kishor Kumar A V, reached the spot and started evacuating the passengers amid heavy downpour. Later AAI officials along with local police and district authorities also reached the spot and helped in the rescue operation. At about 10 PM, NDRF team also reached the spot and rescued two passengers who were stuck between the seats in the flight, the CISF said.
“CISF as the first responder has done excellent work in the rescue of the passengers, and arranged ambulance and other vehicles to shift the passengers to hospital. By the time other agencies arrived at the crash site, CISF had already evacuated the majority of passengers. The Chief Airport Security Officer, CISF Calicut Airport, Deputy Commandant, Kishor Kumar A V reached the site within 20 minutes and mobilized men and material, because of which the passenger could be shifted quickly for treatment and evacuation was done within two hours, the CISF further said.
Asstt Sub-Inspector, Ajit Singh, Incharge of CISF patrolling team and Asstt. Sub-Inspector, Mangal Singh performing duty near the crash site, showed exemplary alertness and presence of mind by alerting the Control Room and guiding the CISF rescue team to the site.
Director General Rajesh Ranjan has commended the prompt and outstanding efforts of the CISF officers and personnel in saving precious human lives. In recognition of their outstanding efforts, DG, CISF has announced to award DG’s commendation DISC to these officers. Reinforcement also responded from the CISF unit lines and helped the personnel who were engaged in rescue operations. Not only the barrack personnel, even those who stay outside the airport campus, rushed to the site after inputs about the crash despite heavy rain.