Many Feared Dead in Mangalore Plane Crash

An Air India Express Boeing 737-800 has crashed on landing at the hilly airport of the southern Indian city of Mangalore.  166 people are reported to have been on board the aircraft and the airline has confirmed that eight people have been pulled from the aircraft alive and taken to local hospitals.

Local television news footage shows a scene of devestation with the aircraft completely on fire and almost unrecognisable. Subramaneshwar Rao, the Superintendent of Police in Mangalore has told local media: "The chances [of finding many survivors] are very bleak as most of the plane has been burnt out."

The airport at Mangalore is located on the top of a hill with steep valleys at both ends of the runway which had initially hampered the rescue efforts.

Over 20 fire engines and many ambulances were at the scene of the crash in the immediate aftermath. The Air India Express flight was inbound from Dubai. The pilot of the aircraft is reported to be an experienced airman of Serbian nationality.

It is believed that the aircraft landed normally, however wasn't able to slow down and overshot the far end of the runway and into a deep valley. It is understood that the aircraft is relatively new to the Air India fleet, with the plane itself only 6 years old.

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