24 hours on, IAF plane still missing

June 04, 2019 13:14

Over 24 hours after the Indian Air Force AN-32 transport aircraft with 13 people on board took off from Jorhat in Assam for Arunachal's Menchuka, the plane continues to be missing.

Thirteen people, including eight crew members, were on board the aircraft. The Antonov AN-32 was headed to the Mechuka Advanced Landing Ground, located in Mechuka Valley in Arunachal Pradesh.

The Indian Air Force has deployed Sukhoi Su-30 combat fighter jets, a C-130 Hercules special operations aircraft to locate the aircraft but the AN-32 is yet to be traced.

The Indian Air Force aircraft took off from Jorhat at 12.27 pm for the Menchuka advance landing ground in Shi-Yomi district in Arunachal Pradesh near the China border and made last contact with the ground control at 1pm.

The Indian Army has pressed into service advance light helicopters to locate the missing Antonov AN-32 aircraft. The search operations from air and by ground parties of the Indian Army continued through the night.

Ground reports were received on the possible location of a crash site on Monday but when helicopters were routed to the location, no wreckage was found. Search and rescue operation resumed as the weather cleared up today.

Defence minister Rajnath Singh said he had spoken to the vice chief of the force on steps to find the missing aircraft and was praying for the safety of all those on board.

File pic of an AN-32 plane.

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