Fourteen people are feared dead and 123 have been left injured after an Air India Express plane crash landed in the southern Indian city of Kozhikode during heavy rain on Friday. 

The plane's fuselage split in two as it overshot the runway and fell into a valley, television networks reported.

Abdul Karim, a senior Kerala state police officer, said the dead included one of the pilots. He said at least 15 of the injured were in a critical condition and that rescue operations were under way.

Ten children are believed to have been among the 191 passengers on board.

It was a repatriation flight from Dubai operated by the government to bring Indians home during international travel restrictions due to the spread of COVID-19.

Amitabh Kant, who heads the government's planning commission, said the runway is on a hilltop with deep gorges on either side, making it difficult to land.

"The incident happened because of heavy rains and poor visibility. This is truly devastating," he told NDTV.

India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Twitter offered his condolences to the families of those who have died. 

He wrote: "Pained by the plane accident in Kozhikode. My thoughts are with those who lost their loved ones. May the injured recover at the earliest. Spoke to Kerala CM @vijayanpinarayi Ji regarding the situation. Authorities are at the spot, providing all assistance to the affected."

Air India Express is a subsidiary of Air India.