City
Epaper

No trace of missing An-32 despite massive search

By IANS | Updated: June 4, 2019 17:25 IST

Despite a massive search operation, an Indian Air Force (IAF) An-32 aircraft that went missing with 13 people on board a day earlier near the China border in Arunachal Pradesh remained untraced on Tuesday.

Open in App

The authorities have deployed the Navy's P-8I aircraft to find traces of the missing plane that took off from Jorhat in Assam after noon on Monday on its way to Mechuka in Arunachal Pradesh but lost contact with ground agencies 35 minutes later.

Defence Ministry spokesman and Wing Commander Ratnakar Singh said the searches were being carried out by the Army, Indo-Tibetan Border Police and various government and civil agencies.

But there was no sign of the plane or its wreckage.

On Tuesday, the Navy's long-range Maritime Reconnaissance aircraft P-8I took off from INS Rajali in Tamil Nadu to join the search and rescue operation, Singh said.

Navy officials said the P-8I is equipped with sensors for maritime reconnaissance, anti-submarine operations and electronic intelligence missions.

The aircraft is fully integrated with state-of-the-art sensors and highly potent anti-surface and anti-submarine weapons.

"The P-8I aircraft has a very powerful Synthetic Aperture Radar which shall be utilised during the SAR sweeps to locate the missing" plane, a Navy spokesman tweeted.

On Monday, C-130, An-32 aircraft, two Mi-17 of IAF and Army's ALH helicopters were launched to locate the missing aircraft.

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has also pressed into service satellites to help the rescuers.

( With inputs from IANS )

Tags: Maritime ReconnaissanceSAR
Open in App

Related Stories

PoliticsHong Kong faces brain drain due to political environment created by China

AurangabadHCoI discontinues exchange of foreign currency for Haj 2023

InternationalTibetans in-exile celebrate Tibetan New Year, Losar in Dharamshala

NationalIndian Coast Guard conducts 20th National Maritime Search and Rescue Board meeting in Gujarat

NationalFrom singers to SUVs, MP panchayat polls create a cottage industry

National Realted Stories

NationalChar Dham Yatra 2025: Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri Doors will be soon close, Details Inside

NationalRahul Gandhi is not alone; millions of workers support him: CM Siddaramaiah

NationalKerala Tragedy: Three Workers From Tamil Nadu Die While Cleaning Septic Tank

NationalKarur stampede case: Three special TN Police teams formed to arrest TVK's Bussy Anand

NationalDelhi Police nab robbery accused after 12-year manhunt