All 29 feared dead as IAF AN-32 goes missing over Bay of Bengal, massive search on
An Indian Air Force's AN-32 aircraft with 29 people on board went missing over Bay of Bengal soon after taking off from Chennai for Port Blair. A massive search operation is underway to locate the plane which is feared to have crashed in the sea.
File image of the same Indian Air Force AN-32 (K-2743) that's currently missing over the Bay of Bengal.
All 29 on board an Indian Air Force AN-32 aircraft en route to Port Blair from Chennai are feared dead after the plane went missing over the Bay of Bengal today morning. The aircraft was on a routine weekly flight. Of the 29 people who were on the plane include 11 from the Air Force, two of the Army and nine people from the Navy, one person from Coast Guard along with eight defence civilians of the Naval Armament Depot from Vishakhapatnam.
The plane took off from Chennai's Tambaram aircraft at about 8:00 am and was scheduled to land at Port Blair in Andaman and Nicobar islands around 11:20 am. The plane's last known contact with the ground control was at 8:46 am after which it vanished off the radar screens. | IAF in a death spiral
According to reports, the missing AN-32 abruptly turned and plunged from 23,000 feet approximately 280-km out at sea from Chennai.
Air Force Headquarters sources said the plane was losing 4,000 feet per minute at the time of its last contact from the ATC and the chances of survival of the people on board were bleak but they were hoping for "miracle".
Updated list of IAF & Navy assets hunting for Indian Air Force An-32. Now 6.5 hours since last contact with plane. pic.twitter.com/Pa4YgEfMpWShiv Aroor (@ShivAroor) July 22, 2016
"Efforts on to trace IAF AN-32 aircraft and our service personnel on board," Defence MinisterManohar Parrikar said in a tweet.
Parrikar is personally monitoring the situation from his South Block office in the national capital. The Defence Minister has also briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi the search operations for the IAF's aircraft.
TECHNICAL SNAG LED TO CRASH?
Sources in the Defence Ministry indicated that the aircraft had a history on snags. However, it was found fit to fly in the recent check up by the squadron based in Sulur in Tamil Nadu.
The snags included "pressure leak" from port door and a sluggish throttle, which is used to control movement of the plane.
The flight route of the missing AN-32
MASSIVE SEARCH OPERATION
The Indian Air Force, Navy and Coast Guard have launched a full scale search and rescue operation to locate the missing aircraft. The air force has deployed three aircraft, including a C-130J Super Hercules and four ships while the Navy has pressed several of its vessels into service. INS Karmukh, Gharial, Jyoti, Kuthar, Sahyadri, Rajput, Ranvijay, Kamorta, Kirch etc. are scanning the aircraft's flight route. Help of military satellite Rukmini is also being taken to locate the missing aircraft.
Fullscale SAR lched by Indian Navy 2 look for IAF AN 32 ac overdue at INS Utkrosh PB since 1130h @SpokespersonMoDpic.twitter.com/fIDQQyz8ERSpokespersonNavy (@indiannavy) July 22, 2016
@SpokespersonMoD 4 ships deployed in Bay of Bengal diverted for SAR Kuthar Karmukh Gharial & Jyoti + 2 each P8I& DO pic.twitter.com/vZqtCgOgEhSpokespersonNavy (@indiannavy) July 22, 2016
The Indian Navy has also diverted one of its submarines to detect the transmissions of locator beacon of the missing IAF aircraft.
AN-32: A RELIABLE AIRCRAFT
The Russian made AN-32 is considered to be one of the most reliable machines that the IAF has. The aircraft, which can fly for over four hours without stopping for refuelling, has the ability to take off and land from small airstrips. The twin-engine aircraft is primarily used to ferry cargo. Nearly 100 AN-32s are in service with the IAF currently. |All you need to know about the sturdy AN-32
(Source : http://indiatoday.intoday.in/)
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