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Three more survivors found at crash site, but in critical condition

May 22, 2010 17:22 IST

The rescue team has recovered three more survivors from the crash site. However, police sources said, their chances of survival appeared to be grim.

Sources said the rescue team found the three passengers breathing as they were in the last stage of the recovery operations.

The police said the operation was likely to be closed in another one hour.

So far, the police has recovered 139 bodies, of which 113 bodies have been identified. None of the crewmembers survived the crash.

Chief Pilot, a British national of Serbian origin, Captain Zlatko Gausica, Co-pilot Ahluwaliva from Bangalore, airhostess Sujatha Survase, aircrew Mohammed Ali and Tejal Kamalkar, are among the six crew members who died in the crash.

The official death toll is now reached 160 and all the bodies have been sent to Wenlock hospital in Mangalore, where relatives have been pouring in.

An official statement from the district administration has suggested that 105 men died in the crash which included 36 women and 19 children.

Sixty passengers were from Kerala, while the remaining were from Karnataka.

Meanwhile, the airport runway has been opened for light aircraft. Regular operations may not commence on the airport for time being, as there have been criticisms that the Bajpe runway is short and must be extended.
Vicky Nanjappa