Joel Pratap D’Souza, the First Survivor to Jump From the Plane

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Mangalore, 23 May 2010: Among the survivors, Joel Pratap D’Douza was the first one to jump from the Air India Express that crashed on Saturday, 22 May 2010 at around 6.30 am at the Bajpe airport. Joel Pratap D’ Souza, 24, had a seat near the part of the aircraft that broke open during the crash."Thank goodness the aircraft had broken apart, as there was no other way to escape with the doors and windows firmly closed," he said. Joel was the first one to jump out, showing the way to other survivors. Others were not so lucky. For 24-year-old Saudi businessman Sameer A Shaikh, who was going to attend the last rites of his grandmother in Mangalore, the crash was a double blow, as he lost 16 relatives in it. At least 66 victims are believed to be from Kerala.

Joel Pratap D’Souza

The Air India Express plane crashed into a gorge after overshooting the runway at Mangalore airport on Saturday, killing 158 people, in one of the country’s worst aviation disasters. The bodies of the victims were so charred that the state government said they would have to be identified with DNA tests. The body count included 33 women and 20 children. Flight IX-812, a Boeing 737-800 coming from Dubai with 166 people on board, overshot the runway around 6.25 am, officials and eyewitnesses said. The Mangalore airport is considered to be a tricky landing track, being a ’table top’ airport, situated on top of a sheared-off hill.

An inquiry by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation has been ordered into the crash, and an Air India team will assist it in the probe, Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel said. Patel told reporters preliminary observations showed there was no problem with the four-year-old runway or the aircraft. The black box of the aircraft is yet to be found. Patel met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and offered to resign but the PM rejected the resignation offer, sources close to him told Hindustan Times. 

Hundreds of people, mostly relatives and family members of the victims, gathered at the Government Wenlock Hospital in Mangalore where the bodies were kept for identification. Till Saturday night, 72 bodies were identified of which 52 were claimed. The aircraft was commandeered by Zlatko Eluscia, a British national of Serbian origin, who had 10,000 hours of flying experience and had been operating in India for two years.

The Government of Karnataka has declared a one-day state mourning and announced compensation of Rs 2 lakh for the kin of the deceased.

 

 

UPDATE AT 7.30 PM: 22 May 2010:

Till writing this report the Black Box of the ill-fated Air India Express flight number IX-812 has not yet been found, thus shrouding the reasons of the air crash in the morning of Saturday, 22 May 2010 at around 6.30 am. The Black Box could have answered many of the questions that are exercising the minds of the government and aviation authorities regarding the exact reasons that led to this avoidable tragedy.

The Aviation Minister, Praful Patel who was at the crash site at the Bajpe Airport said that the weather condition at the time of the landing of the aircraft was fine. However, according to a report there was slight drizzle. After witnessing the rescue and recovery operations, Praful Patel has returned to Delhi and is likely to meet the Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh at around 7.30 pm to appraise him about the situation in Mangalore.

Besides the Aviation Minister, the Chief Minister of Karnataka, B S Yeddyurappa and S M Krishna, the Minister of External Affairs also visited the crash site and the hospitals where they spoke to the survivors and consoled the family members and relatives of the victims at the Venlok Hospital. The survivors recounted their miraculous escape. One of them said that some of the survivors jumped off the emergency exit when the aircraft hit the boundary wall and though injured were lucky enough to survive. The Chief Minister Yeddyurappa has sanctioned an amount of Rs. 2 lakhs from the Chief Ministers relief Fund as compensation to each of the dead victims.

The recovery of the bodies from the debris has been a very difficult task to the authorities and the volunteers. Most of the bodies have been charred beyond recognition. Till 7 pm, according to a report as many as 146 bodies have been recovered. All the recovered bodies have been sent to the Venlok Hospital for post mortem and handed over to the family members for the last rites.

Meanwhile, the government has set up a Court of Inquiry to study the circumstances that led to the tragedy of this kind. The Boeing Company is also sending its team on a fact finding mission to Mangalore.

According to the latest report there were 160 passengers including 19 children and 4 infnats. There were also 6 crew members among whom Miss Tejal Kamlakar is the resident of Dombivli in Thane District.

UPDATE AT 1 PM
Additional Pictures From Prakash Katapadi & PTI

 

UPDATE At 1 PM
The rescue work following the IX-812 Dubai-Mangalore Air India Express tragedy at Bajpe Airport in the morning of 22nd May 2010 is nearing completion. According to the recent report, 8 persons who were travelling in the ill-fated aircraft have survived and are being treated in hospitals in Mangalore. These 8 survivors are: G.K Pradeep, Dr. Sabrina Nasreen, Umar Farooq Muhammad, Mayan Kutty, Joel D’Souza, Abdul Puttur and Krishnan. According to another report 8 persons have survived among whom two are in critical condition. According to sources there were 137 adults, 19 children, 4 infants and 6 crew members.

The bodies of the crash victims are taken to Venlok Hospital, Mangalore for post mortem. The relatives of the deceased have flocked to the hospital and are inconsolable. The central government has announced an ad-hoc compensation of Rs. 2 lakhs for the dead and Rs.50,000 for the injured.

According to Air Marshal Denzil Keelor, former Chief Flight Inspector of DGCA, the pilot could not stop the aircraft at the end of the runway as the pilot might have landed too far away on the runway and could not stop the aircraft overshooting the runway and falling off the cliff which resulted in the aircraft catching fire and bursting into flames. It is said that the pilot of the aircraft was an experienced officer and had 2,000 hours of flight time.

Anoop Srivastava, Director of Air India held press briefings in Mumbai where he answered the various queries of the reporters. The Aviation minister, Praful Patel is already at the site of the crash at Bajpe and the Cheif Minister of Karnataka, B S Yeddyurappa along with the Home Minister, Dr. V S Acharya who travelled by helicopter up to Hassan are on their way to the crash site.

Update at 9.30 AM

The Air India Express Boeing 737-800 from Dubai to Mangalore that landed at the Bajpe International Airport on Saturday, 22 May 2010 was crashed at it overshot the runway at around 6.30 am and burst into fire. According to a report there were 160 passengers including 19 children and 6 crew members. The aeroplane was to leave for Muscat later. The Bajpe airport is closed for time being in view of the tragedy.

The massive rescue operation in presently going on with 20 fire brigades and 25 ambulances with doctors and paramedics. The rescue operations are being hampered due to the heavy smoke and fire. According to recent reports 6 persons have been shifted to hospitals in Mangalore. According the Dr. V S Acharaya the Karnataka Home Minister, so far 60 people have been feared killed in this tragic crash. It is not know how many of the passengers and crew members could have survived in this calamity. Rescue operations are still in full swing. The local villagers are cooperating in the rescue operation. The amount of damage to the Air India express and widespread fire indicate that there may not be many survivors. There were a number of passengers from Kerala. On hearing the news of the tragedy the relatives are trying to reach Mangalore.

The UPA Government has cancelled the Anniversary dinner in view of this tragedy and respect for the victims. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has been in contact in the Home Minister, Chidambaram regarding the progress in the rescue operation. The President of India,Mrs. Pratibha Patil, the Prime Minister and Mrs. Sonia Gandhi have expressed their shock and have expressed their grief at the horrendous tragedy and death due to the air crash at Mangalore.

The Aviation Minister, Praful Patel and Veerappa Mioly, the Law Minister are on their way to Mangalore to take the stock of the air crash. Speaking to the TV anchor from Delhi Airport waiting to go to Mumbai and from there to Mangalore, Veerappa Moily said that he was extremely saddened by this tragedy and the heart of the government goes out to the victim as they were on their way from Dubai to meet their dear and near ones back at home.

The last major air tragedy was at Patna in 2000. Since then, for the last ten years the Air India had registered a safety record that is being shattered by this major crash at Mangalore. According to sources, the Air India express Boeing 737-800 is a relatively new aircraft, barely 5 to 6 years old.

The survivors

The names of the survivors who escaped with minor injuries are Joel Pratap D’Souza (a "young man around 25-30 years old" ), Umar Farooq (26) and Sabrina, a medical student. They have been taken to a private hospital for treatment, but are out of danger.

Mr. D’Souza came to the airport from the crash site in a vehicle and said he was a survivor of the crash. He was immediately removed to the hospital.

A Help Desk has been set up at the Mangalore airport.

Contact numbers are: 0824 2220422/0824 2010167

Here is the list of passengers on the flight received from S.A. Prabhakar Sharma, Additional Deputy Commissioner, Mangalore District.

From PNR Report

1. Harshini Poonja
2. Aaron Joel Fernandes
3. Niha Imthiaz
4. Bhaskaran T.V.
5. Komalavally Alinkeel
6. Narayana Kanthav Rao
7. Vani Narayana Rao
8. Vaishnavi Narayana Rao
9. Mohammad Ishaque Rafique Ahmed
10 Hasanabba Abubakkar
11. Hiba Azeena (child)
12. Mushina (child)
13. Haifa Hasha (infant)
14. Joyanrichard Saldanha
15. Ummer Farook Mohammed
16. Shahida Nushrathar
17 Zeshan Abdul Rehman (child)
18. Kannur Zulekha Banu
19. Nazeema Muhammad Ashraf
20.Satyanarayana Ballakuraya
21. Sujatha Rao
22. Fathimamehzan Shafqat
23.Rashaad Shafqatmahmood (infant)
24. Khader Ammangod Mohammed Shafy
25. Suhaib Mohammed Naseer (child)
26. Bibi Sara (child)
27. Nabeeha Mohammed Nasir (child)
28. Mohammad Asraf
29. Maimoona Asraf
30. Ashaz Abdulla (child)
31. Ayesha Afsheen (child)
32.Plaviashakunthala Lobo
33. Venishanikola Lobo
34. Vishalfloid Lobo (child)
35. Abdullah K.M.
36. Merwyn D’ Souza
37. Rosly Shibu
38. Godwina Thomas (child)
39. Gloria Thomas (child)
40. Bhagali Prabhakar
41. Kammadam Kunhabdulla
42. Shashikanth Punja
43. Manirekha Punja
44. Abdulbarr Damudi (child)
45. Mahesh Shetty
46. Mohamed Naser
47. Anwar Sadiq
48. Hassan Kutty
49. JoelPratap DSouza
50. Arunkumar Shetty
51. Vasantha Shetty
52. Abdul Samad
53. Prasadand Manjrekar
54. Krishnan Koolikunnu
55. Mullachery Balakrishnan
56. Shanthi Olivera
57. Chethana Mukeshkumar
58. Thresiamma Philip
59. Mohamed Ashfaq
60. Husna Farheen
61. Ahmednaushad Abbu
62. Rajan Pulikodan
63. Jayaprakasha Devadiga
64. Jayaram Kotian
65. Chitra Jayaram
66. Rahul Jayaram (child)
67. Prabhavati Karkera
68. Ashitha Bolar
69. Akshay Bolar
70. Suresh Kunder
71. Sanjeeva BabannaHegde
72. Soman Narayani
73. Pradeep GK
74. Kallingalabullah
75. Thalangara Ebrahimkhaleel
76. Louiscarlo Vincent Geraro
77. Naziya Afarin
78. Mohammed Abaanruknuddin (child)
79. MohammedRafi Beliyapura
80. Abdullah Mohammed
81. Ibrahim Saheb
82. Sameena Saheb
83. Issam Ibrahim
84. Rida Ibrahim (child)
85. Perumbalamohammed
86. Shivakumar Nagaraj
87. Meenu Gupta
88. Shetty KK
89. Gangadharan Nair
90. Prabathkumar Attavar
91.Sathisha Shetty
92. Irshad Ahmed
93. Neha Parveen
94. Affan Ahmed (infant)
95. Sameerbeerran Moideen
96. Abdunnazir Avinja
97. Riju John
98. Sabrina Nasrinhuq
99. Steven Rego
100. Mahammooda Abdulla Kanyana
101. Althafahmed Moolana
102. Lokeshasadananda Belchada
103. Hameed Pookayam
104. Mayankutty KP
105. Vipin Kattoor
106. Kishorekumar Kudpapoojary
107. Chandukutty Nair K
108. NM Bharatham
109. Abdulazeez Anchikatta
110. Umashan Vijayan
111. Cavin Sequuiera
112. Reshmasanthosh Rai
113. Nalandshaunsantosh Rai (child)
114. Vihasantosh Rai (infant)
115. Vamana Prabhu
116. Ganesh Prabhu
117. Qazi Abdulsalam
118. Qazizulekah Khuddus
119. Jackson Periera
120. Mahammed Ismail
121. Naveen Kumar
122. Sanjaykumar Mahabal
123. Mahendra Kodkany
124. Indumathi Nayak
125. Vijesh Kovval
126. Ramakrishna Nayak
127. Ajesh Mottathil
128. Navid Ibrahim
129. Ignatius DSouza
130. Sukumara Kuzhiyamkottuchal
131. Abdul Basheer KM
132. Mohiddin Farasusman
133. Mahim Mohammedpalli
134. Mohammedashraf KA
135. Mohamed Usman
136. Kunhikannan Chandu
137. Naveenwalter Fernandes
138. Saritaphilomena Dsouza
139. Ullas Dsilva
140. Mannapadupuashraf Abdul
141. Safdharali Sheik
142. Mahesh Shetty
143. Abdulharish Koppalamhouse
144. Abdul Jebran
145. Parambathkunhi Krishnan
146. Prabhakaran Pachikaran
147. Nekkareibrahim Ismail
148. Melwynkiran Menezes
149. Siddeeque Choorisulaiman
150. Putturismail Abdulla
151. Somashekhar Potyalsrinivasa
152. Lokesh Narayanan
153. Lolitta Dias
154. Lilly Dias
155. Praveena Sundar
156. Hilda Douza
157. Pradeep Deepanivas
158. Denis Saldanha
159. Ashton Saldanha (child)
160. Manthur Hassainar
161. Rama Satish
162. Mohammed Basheer
163. Aboobacker Siddeeq
164. Mohammed Usman
165. Shaileshrao Brahmavara
166. Mohammed Ziad
167. Sameena Abdul Karim
168. Zainab Mohammedziad (child)
169. Mohammed Subairzaid (child)

Mangalore, 22 May 2010: An Air India Express aircraft overshot the runway at the Mangalore airport on Saturday morning. As per reports, 169 passengers were onboard the aircraft.

The Mangalore police has said that there could be several causalties. Emergency services have been installed at the site of the accident. Almost 25 ambulances have reached the site.

 

The plane burst into flames after overshooting the runway. The injured were immediately rushed to a nearby hospital. Five passengers have been admitted as per reports.

All the contact with the aircraft was lost after 6.30 am as the west wing of the plane caught fire when it took off, say reports. The aircraft was heading from Mangalore to Dubai.

DGCA sources have said that a probe has been ordered into the accident.

However, there has not been any confirmation from Air India.

Helpline Nos: 011-25656196, 25603101

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