Officials struggle to face media

KOCHI: The first-time experience of a plane overshooting the runway left the Cochin International Airport authorities in a fix with the officials struggling to brief the media about the mishap. The media was left to guess about the arrival of the rescue team for salvaging the aircraft. CIAL managing director V J Kurian said the rescue team from Mumbai was scheduled to reach by 1 p.m. but had to change the schedule owing to inclement weather. However, Kurian could not give details about the mishap.The reporters were later told that three cranes, weighing 60 tonnes, were brought to lift the aircraft. The ground staff also built a temporary road, extending a few metres, to the site where the flight was lying, the official said.Kurian said that a team from DGCA was taking details from the Bahrain-based pilot Huzain Mahmood.Though, scribes were initially allowed to visit the spot, they were later banned after the Gulf Air company complained that the presence of mediamen would affect their rescue operations. Meanwhile, some officials said the soil conditions helped avert a tragedy. People from the nearby area were seen  thronging the area to get a glimpse of the plane from far end of the runway.