At least 17 people have died following a plane crash in

the Southern Indian state of Calicut also known as Kozhikode on Friday.

Air India Express

IX-1344 was attempting to land at the airport at around 7.40 p.m. at the

Kozhikode Calicut International Airport when it is reported that the plane

overshot the runway.

It is understood that

the plane was attempting to land in bad weather and subsequently overshot the

runway, fell into a ravine and broke up.

“At least 17 people,

including both pilots of the flight were confirmed to have died with another

150 injured people, some of which are in critical condition. Search and rescue operations are

still ongoing. Two investigation teams of professionals from @airindiai

@AAI_Official & AAIB will leave for Kozhikode at 02.00 hrs & 05.00

hrs,” said Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri.

According to

information from Air India’s website, the plane was one of the repatriation flights

operated by the Indian government to bring back nationals stranded in Dubai due

to COVID-19 travel restrictions

An inquiry will be conducted by the

ministry’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted

that he was “pained by the plane accident in Kozhikode,” and that he had spoken

to Kerala’s top elected official.