At least 160 people were confirmed dead in an Air India Express plane crash in southern India early today, officials said. More story and photos from mangalorean.com - Air India Express from Dubai crashes at Mangalore Airport
The accident occurred when the plane overshot the runway of the airport serving the city of Mangalore in Karnataka state.
Indian television channels said the flight was coming in from Dubai.
"At least 160 passengers have died in the crash," V.S. Acharya, Home Minister of the southern state of Karnataka, told reporters.
A second official also confirmed that 160 people had been killed.
The plane was carrying 163 passengers and nine crew members.
Officials had said earlier 169 people were on the plane.
"The plane apparently overshot the runway and has crashed. We have news that the plane caught fire after crashing," Rohit Katiyar, a top airport security official, told Reuters.
Television footage suggested the plane had partially broken up, with smoke billowing from the main fuselage, as rescue workers sought to douse the fire with foam.
Acharya told the Press Trust of India that the crash site was as far as 10 kilometres from the airport. "We fear there are casualties," Mangalore Aiport Managaer Peter Abrahams told the NDTV news channel.