Authorities start inquiry in Air India Express crash

Praful PatelAccording to the reports, Indian authorities said on Saturday that they have begun an inquiry into what caused an airliner crash that killed at least 159 and injured seven, three seriously.

The Press Trust of India has reported that the inquiry by the Indian Directorate General of Civil Aviation will be assisted by an Air India team, Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel said.

It has been reported that Patel told reporters an initial investigation show there was no problem with the 4-year-old runway at Mangalore or the Air India Express jet. The aircraft overshot the runway by about 2000 feet.

He also said that the pilot, a British national of Serbian origin, and the Indian co-pilot had made several landings at the same airport.

PTI further reported that Patel said the aircraft's black box, an instrument that records what went on in the cockpit, has not yet been recovered.

The Hindu also reported that the plane arriving at Bajpe airport on a flight from Dubai in the United Arab Emirates apparently touched down late and skidded off the runway into the valley, where it burned. Mangalore's airport is described as a "tabletop," set on a hill with steep cliffs not far from the runway.

Reports from PTI further said that the accident occurred on the longer of the two runways at the airport, which is 8,000 feet long. The shorter runway is 6,000 feet long.

The Times reported in London that authorities said they believed cloudy conditions and reduced visibility may have contributed to India's worst air disaster in 14 years.

He jumped from the plane when he saw a hole in the fuselage, landing on the hillside, Mohammad Umer Farooqi, a young Mangalore man returning from a job-hunting trip in Dubai, said from a hospital. (With Inputs from Agencies)