Kondotty: The survivors of the horrific Air India Express Flight crash in 2020 had a noble idea. They paid back the first-responders from the village with a new wing at the public health centre in August. And then the murmurs began.
Is this the best thing to do with the compensation money and insurance settlements that the survivors got? Is there a scam? Are survivors being coerced? Who really represents survivors’ wishes?
The foundation stone for the new wing at the public health centre in Kerala’s Kondotty was a heartfelt tribute from survivors of the Calicut air crash to their brave civilian rescuers who reached them in the first few minutes. Stirring statements were made to the media about Karipur’s courageous first responders and the generosity they inspired.
Three years ago, Air India Express Flight 1344 careened off the runway of Calicut International Airport and crashed down a slope, splitting in two and killing 21 people. The toll could have been worse if not for the heroic rescue efforts of the residents of nearby Karipur village in Kondotty taluk.
Businessman Abdurahiman Edakkuni, the chairman of the Malabar Development Forum (MDF), an NGO that has been working with the crash victims and their families, was put in charge of this mission.
But the twist in the tale is now there is a disagreement between the chairman and the president of the NGO. MDF president MV Basheer is dead set against survivors donating money for the health centre.
The compensation I have received barely covers my medical expenses. I do not want to donate money
-Shamsuddeen Thallekunnil, crash survivor
He claims that Abdurahiman Edakkuni is a scamster out to swindle passengers and is no longer affiliated with the MDF.
“He is a big fraud,” declared Basheer, fuming as he spoke to ThePrint in his Kozhikode house. “Isn’t it unethical for these people to be giving money when they are suffering from such injuries and need care for the rest of their lives?”
Basheer asserted that it is the job of the local government bodies and Air India to expand the hospital — not the victims, who barely got enough compensation for lifelong treatments. He also accused Edakkunni of forcing people to donate money under the garb of goodwill.
Edakkuni, however, maintained that he is working for a noble cause, with the support of not just survivors, but Kondotty MLA TV Ibrahim of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML).
“The idea to help the rescuers was that of the survivors,” Edakkuni said. “We just came up with a plan of action.”
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Survivors divided
Passengers of Air India Express Flight 1344 still recall the heart-stopping moment their plane skidded off the runway three years ago.
The flight, carrying a total of 190 people, was part of the Vande Bharat mission to evacuate Indians stranded during Covid, but the plane itself became a fiery trap. They were sure they would not make it out alive.
But Karipur’s people acted swiftly, defying billowing smoke and incessant rain to rescue trapped passengers. The police and ambulances arrived only later, residents say.
Yet, not all survivors can afford to express their gratitude through donations. Their opinions on fundraising for the health centre are divided.
Among those supporting the project is Dr Sajjad Hussain. He lost his sister Sahira Banu and her 10-month-old baby in the crash, but two of her other children escaped with minor injuries. The family received compensation amounting to around Rs 2 crore for the four of them.
No one tried to coerce me to give the money. I genuinely wanted to do something for the people who saved so many lives
-Sajjad Hussain, family member of crash victims
Hussain has since met some of the rescuers who helped save his nephew and niece. He also participated in the ceremony for handing over the agreement to build a new wing for the health centre.
“No one tried to coerce me to give the money. I genuinely wanted to do something for the people who saved so many lives, including my family members,” he said.
But Shamsuddeen Thallekunnil said his experience was different. He was seated on the 13th row, at the emergency exit, right where the fuselage split. He still requires treatment for his injuries and does not have money to spare.
“The compensation I have received barely covers my medical expenses. I do not want to donate money,” he said. “The Edakunni person tried to coerce me, but I did not agree.”
Aviation experts have persistently warned that the tabletop runway at Calicut International Airport is a disaster waiting to happen.
After publicity, uncertainty
Just 300 metres from Calicut airport, the family health centre is a modest single-storey blue building located on a bend of the road in Kondotty’s Chirayil Chungam locality. The facilities here are basic and the staff is stretched thin.
Dr Sofiya PV is in charge as the only full-time, government-approved doctor at the centre. Two part-time physicians assist her — one in the morning, the other in the evening.
The outpatient department wraps up at 2pm, and a contractual doctor and pharmacist sign off by 6pm. When more than five patients show up at the same time, they have to squeeze into the small waiting area.
The plan for a new wing includes a much-needed outpatient ward, a pharmacy, a laboratory, and a bigger waiting area.
Dr Sofiya said Karipur residents are happy about it, but also pointed out that the publicity omits some details.
“Even though news reports say Rs 50 lakh, it is actually Rs 30 lakh that has been promised to us and collected,” she said.
There’s also uncertainty about the time frame for construction.
“I have to get a concrete plan. After that, I have to send it to the Kerala Directorate of Health Services. We will also need permission from the airport authorities for construction, since the hospital is so close by,” she said. “One cannot just build or add a wing to an existing government hospital at will.”
Even with improvements, the health centre won’t be a primary medical response facility: there’s no trauma unit.
Dr Sofiya joined the centre just three months ago, but the plane crash and its aftermath are still hot topics. She has heard all about how seriously injured patients had to be transferred to private hospitals because the health centre lacked adequate facilities.
“It is definitely the presence of mind of the rescuers that saved many. They made the right judgment call of taking the victims to private hospitals which have better resources,” she said.
When announcing the upgrade last year, Edakkuni also highlighted that the nearest well-equipped hospital was 8km from the airport. The revamped public health centre, he hinted, would address this gap.
But, even with improvements, the health centre won’t be a primary medical response facility: there’s no trauma unit.
‘Drove as fast as I could but she could not be saved’
Ambulance driver Abdul had packed up for the day when a sudden bang stopped him in his tracks on 7 August 2020.
“I was just getting back home when I read the loud explosion,” he said. He instinctively restarted the vehicle and headed towards the airport, which seemed to be the source of the sound. He was one of the first responders to reach the crash site.
The scene was pure horror, Abdul recounted. Victims were screaming for help from the debris of the massive plane, but rain and smoke made it difficult to see.
Despite the danger of the plane blowing up completely, Abdul and the other residents who had raced to the scene dove into the chaos, determined to pull out the victims.
“People rushed in with whatever vehicles they had — bikes, autos, trucks, to help the victims,” said Rasheed N, a school teacher at a nearby EMEA Higher Secondary School.
Rasheed emphasised that trauma and tragedy alone did not define that day— it was also a tremendous show of selflessness and resolve.
“Local people, policemen, and ambulance staff were all pitching in without missing a beat,” he said.
That night, Abdul made three frantic trips to different hospitals, ferrying five victims to Aster MIMS Hospital, Calicut Medical College, and Beach Hospital based on the severity of their injuries.
On one such trip, he cradled a young girl with a head injury on his lap to keep her stable.
“I was driving as fast and as carefully as I could, but she could not be saved,” he said, his face clouding over.
Abdul is clear that he did not help the survivors for money. But recognition when it came was welcome.
“The government did not offer anything, but the Malabar Development Forum held a felicitation ceremony to recognise our efforts,” he said.
Fight for compensation & ‘human error’
Based in Kozhikode, the MDF works to promote development in the Malabar region, with a focus on the international airport and helping the many Gulf expatriates from here.
In the aftermath of the Calicut air crash, the NGO became the main advocate for the passengers, most of whom were Gulf workers. Many survivors faced severe injuries requiring lifelong treatment, others reeled under the loss of breadwinners.
Basheer explained that the MDF’s mission was to aid passengers in navigating the labyrinthine process of securing compensation from the airline. There were enough precedents to show that it was not going to be easy.
For instance, after the 2010 Air India Mangalore crash, disputes over compensation dragged on for a decade, with some reaching the high court and even the Supreme Court.
For the Calicut survivors, too, the process to get compensation involved long-drawn negotiations and setbacks.
A year after the crash, Air India issued a letter refusing to cover the long-term medical expenses of those with injuries requiring ongoing care. It was a blow to passengers like Ashraf Moodora, who reportedly had to undergo at least 10 surgeries on his injured right leg and continued to struggle to put weight on it.
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) primarily attributed the crash to pilot error and systemic failings.
Within a year or so, many passengers accepted the airline’s compensation packages out of desperation, Basheer said. According to him, payouts ranged from Rs 10 lakh to Rs 5 crore depending on the severity of injury and loss.
Then, in September 2021, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) released an inquiry report, primarily attributing the crash to pilot error and systemic failings involving Air India and the air traffic controller, among other factors. This was a relief for survivors still fighting for compensation from the airline.
“The investigation confirmed human error as the cause of the crash, ruling out technical issues or runway problems. It’s a huge relief,” Onmanorama quoted Edakkuni as saying at the time.
Building the hospital is just distracting from the real issue of airport safety and maintenance
-MV Basheer , MDF president
In August 2022, Air India announced that it had settled all compensation claims.
Soon thereafter, Edakkuni set up an “action forum” under the MDF, claiming to have the support of 184 passengers or their families. Their efforts to collect funds for the health centre received widespread media attention as a heartwarming gesture of gratitude.
But Basheer disagrees vehemently with Edakkuni’s approach. He said instead of celebrating and soliciting money from traumatised victims, Edakkuni should have pushed the courts for better payouts.
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‘Distracting from the real issue’
While Edakkuni continues his mission to help survivors give back to the Karipur community, Basheer advocates vociferously for enhancing safety at Calicut International Airport.
Aviation experts have persistently warned that the tabletop runway here is a disaster waiting to happen.
Such runways, carved out of hills and surrounded by valleys, leave no margin for error. In a grim historical parallel to the Calicut tragedy, the Air India Express Flight 812 from Dubai to Mangaluru crash-landed on a similar tabletop runway in 2010, killing 158 people.
“Building the hospital is just distracting from the real issue of airport safety and maintenance,” Basheer said.
He wants the focus to be on preventing future accidents and ensuring smooth airport operations, which is particularly crucial for the many arrivals from Gulf countries, including those who coming to India for medical treatment.
Shuffling through a stack of documents, he expressed his intention to draft a letter to the President of India about the changes that the Calicut airport so desperately needs. “We have a lot to do and we will keep doing it,” he said.
One Facebook Live at a time, Basheer tackles the most pressing issues at hand. Sometimes, he stresses the need to install an Engineered Materials Arrestor System (EMAS) at the airport to prevent planes from overshooting runways. At other times, he warns that he will do whatever it takes to “expose” Edakkuni.
(Edited by Asavari Singh)