Flights cancelled, Bahrain passengers stranded

Kerala Minister says airport to remain closed till today evening

KR Rejeesh/DTNN

Kochi

Following the shooting incident at Karipur airport, all flights to the airport were cancelled. The Air India Express and Indigo flights from Dubai have been diverted to Nedumbassery airport, Kochi. The Bahrain flight scheduled to leave from Karipur on Thursday at 3.50 pm also cancelled.    

Speaking to reporters, Kerala Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala told DT News that the airport would be closed down till noon on Thursday. “All flights to Karipur till then will be diverted to Nedumbassery.” 

Two flights, including an Air India flight from Mumbai that arrived at 10.25 pm, circled above the airport awaiting permission from the aviation control division to land and were later diverted to the Kochi International Airport at Nedumbassery. 

Meanwhile, sources informed that around 300 passengers bound for different destinations had been stranded the upstairs at the airport after check in. The function of Air Traffic Control (ATC) also has been stopped. There are around 150 AAI staff posted at the airport, of which 40 are with airport fire service.

Relatives of passengers who were to arrive at the airport said they had received information that their near and dear ones had reached Nedumbassery airport at Kochi, but were unaware when they would reach home.

Chennithala said that he had asked the additional director general of police, N. Shankar Reddy, to reach the airport and has also ordered to deploy additional police force in the area. 

State director general of police T.P. Senkumar said the situation was under control. More police forces have been deployed at the airport.