Air India Flight AI171's crash shortly after takeoff on Thursday brought back memories of a black May 22, 2010 for many.
On that tragic morning a little over fifteen years ago, Air India Express Flight 812 crashed on landing at around 6:10 am after overshooting Mangaluru International Airport's table top runway.
As many as 158 of the 166 people on board, including the entire crew, were killed as the plane plunged into a gorge and went up in flames. It was one of the deadliest landing accidents in India and the last major aviation disaster before the June 12, 2025 crash at Ahmedabad.
The AI171 crash at Ahmedabad, in contrast, is the worst involving a single aircraft in India and happened immediately after take-off.
Both were international flights and belonged to India's flag carrier, Air India.
Among the first responders in the Mangaluru airport crash in 2010 was Gopal Hosur, the then inspector General of Police (IGP), Western Range, Karnataka, who was posted at Mangaluru.
"I got to hear the news 10-15 minutes after the plane had crashed. I rushed to the spot. The aircraft had fallen into a 100-feet gorge and burst into flames after it overshot the runway. There was fire and smoke all around," remembered Hosur.
"The fumes from a burning aircraft are extremely toxic and suffocating. There are trained fire personnel to douse the flames. They use foam to kill the fire. I had reached the spot and we immediately called for fire personnel and ambulances. Since Mangaluru has a good number of hospitals and medical facilities, the eight survivors were rushed and given timely treatment. Their escape was providential," he said.
'Go-around called for, but it was too late'
"Mangaluru Airport is a tabletop airport facing a gorge. Getting the landing right there is critical. The Air India aircraft coming from Dubai had landed ahead of the landing point. The first officer called for 'go-around' but it was too late. The right wing of the jet crashed against the Night Landing System (NLS), crashed into the sand bags and fell into the gorge. The hitting of the NLS left a gaping hole near the right wing and the eight passengers, who were sitting near it, were thrown out of the aircraft. They fell on the runway and their lives were saved," said Hosur.
'Go-around' in aviation terminology is a procedure where an aircraft, on final approach to land, aborts the landing and climbs away from the runway to make another approach or divert. It is initiated by the pilot or requested for by air traffic control for various reasons.
"In the event of an air crash though there is a safety infrastructure in place at the airports, additional reinforcements have to be immediately mobilised without wasting any time. A centralised command and control system has to be put in place to oversee rescue and relief operations," he added.
The first steps include dousing the fire, securing the site, controlling the crowd, immediate mobilisation of resources and disaster management force. Hospitals have to be alerted and medics and paramedic staff, police and others have to be mobilised. The role of young volunteers in rescue and relief operations is equally important.
"Searching for survivors in the debris is the first step. The National and State Disaster Response Forces are trained in identifying survivors. Taking them out and rushing them to the nearest hospital in the golden hour is extremely critical. Identification of the deceased and handing over of bodies to the families after DNA tests is a difficult task but it is a duty we owe to the dead and their families," he added.
