The armed forces have pulled out all stops in the search and rescue ops for the missing Indian Air Force's AN 32 transport plane.

The Navy has sent a submarine for underwater detection of any transmission or signal of missing IAF aircraft AN-32, which has 29 on board, including six crew members.

The plane went missing on Friday while it was on its way from Chennai to Port Blair, home to the tri-service command.

The IAF, Navy and the Coast Guard, has already deployed five aircraft and 13 ships for tracking the plane which made the last radio contact at 0846 hours, 16 minutes after take off from Tambaram air base in Chennai.

The 29 people on board the Air Force's workhorse for a long period included two pilots, a navigator besides personnel from the Navy and the Army.

"The plane, which was on a routine courier service, took off at about 0830 hours from Tambaram and it was scheduled to land at Port Blair at 1130 hours but it is overdue," IAF spokesperson Wing Commander Anupam Banerjee said.

Defence sources said the plane was at about 23,000 feet when the last contact was established. While the IAF has pressed into service a C130 plane along with two AN32, the Navy has deployed two P8i maritime surveillance and anti-submarine warfare aircraft from the strategically important Port Blair.

The Navy has pressed into service two Dornier aircraft and 13 ships with the Eastern Fleet Commander on board for the search and rescue operation. Navy spokesperson Captain D K Sharma said, "Navy has been deployed in full force in the Bay of Bengal for the search and rescue operation".