People, wearing masks and disposable gloves, lining up outside blood banks. Volunteers working late into the night to organise food packets.
These visuals from the aftermath of the Kozhikode crash are proof that humanity persists even in the face of a pandemic.
At least 18 people, including both pilots, were killed after an Air India Express plane with more than 190 on board skidded off the runway on Friday at the Karipur airport in Kozhikode in Kerala. Officials said 16 of the 172 injured are in a critical condition.
The plane, part of the Vande Bharat Mission to repatriate Indian nationals from overseas during the coronavirus lockdown, skidded off the tabletop runway and fell into a 35-feet deep valley, breaking into two portions.
Friday is being described as a black day for Kerala, owing to a landslide in the early hours of the day and a plane crash at night - both of which resulted in several deaths. However, even as the crash shocked the state to the core, Keralites stepped forward to do their bit. In the face of calamity, and even while we're grappling with a global pandemic, Keralites came forth to help those who have been affected by the crash.
Following the crash, all flights that were due to land at Karipur airport have been diverted to Kannur. Photos that have gone viral on social media show several volunteers at Kannur preparing food packages for distressed passengers who were supposed to land at Karipur.
All flights that were to land at Karippur are to land at Kannur following the jet crash. Since the flights are to reach late and at odd hours, the youth of Mattannur in Kannur are busy arranging food for the passengers. pic.twitter.com/2SyAyGDlD7— Alinda Merrie Jan 🌹 (@alindaMjan) August 7, 2020
The spirit of volunteerism in Kerala has lifted our spirits everytime a disaster or calamity has struck us.Youth queuing up at midnight outisde a blood bank to donate blood and another group preparing food packets for the people arriving in the flights diverted to Kannur airport. pic.twitter.com/hTie6YiAnE— S.R.Praveen (@myopiclenses) August 7, 2020
Youths also queued up outside blood baanks, in the wee hours of the morning, to donate blood which would be required in abundance to treat the victims of the crash. Several people took to Twitter to laud their efforts:
Kerala ✊🏼 a heavy painful night but volunteers and citizens chipping in. #mercy #community #grief https://t.co/STb8jy4DE3— Dr. Sonali Vaid MD MPH (@SonaliVaid) August 7, 2020
Seeing volunteers at blood banks or preparing food for those stranded passengers who got diverted or to those who got involved in the field rescue at such short notice proves one thing.That kerala has the brains and the heart. ♥️#AirIndia— Aisha Ali (@jershali) August 8, 2020
such situations by the administration. 👏Also the pictures of volunteers lined up to donate blood past midnight exemplifies humanity. 🙌Sad for the situation, but proud of the administration and the people. #Kerala #keralaplanecrash— tOMMY (@tommy_bytes) August 8, 2020
Meanwhile in #Kerala after twin #rain related tragedies, #Munnarlandslide and #AirIndiaCrash on Friday, the people of Kerala are always out there in large numbers to #volunteer, help, rescue and donate.#KeralaModel https://t.co/VYB3NgQDn2— Shailendra Yashwant (@shaibaba) August 8, 2020
India's top aviation body, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), has ordered a detailed inquiry into the matter. It said the plane broke into "two pieces" after landing at the airport.
