AN-32 aircraft remains missing after 20 hrs with 13 on board

New Delhi: An Indian air force aircraft AN-32 which went missing in Arunachal Pradesh on Monday, remains untraceable with its eight crew members and five passengers on board, hours after the transport carrier's disappearance was first reported.

As per the latest updates, the aircraft with 13 people on board was not located by 7:30 am on Tuesday. C-130J and ground patrols of the Army are still carrying out search operations, said officials.

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The Russian-origin transport aircraft took off from Assam state’s Jorhat town for Menchuka in Arunachal Pradesh state (near northeastern mountains bordering China) but lost contact with ground agencies at around 1pm i.e. around 33 minutes after taking off from Jorhat in Assam, government officials said.

The IAF said they couldn't establish further contact with the aircraft but efforts are on to establish the whereabouts of the aircraft.

C-130J, Mi-17, Indian Army ALH helicopter and AN-32 of IAF and Indian Army ALH helicopter launched to locate the missing aircraft, said the IAF.

It said that some reports of possible location of crash site were received, however, no wreckage has been sighted so far.

However, IAF is coordinating with Indian Army, various government and civil agencies to locate the missing aircraft. Search operations will continue from air and by ground parties of Indian Army through the night, tweeted the IAF on its official tweeter account.

The identities of the eight crew members and other passengers were not immediately known. A search operation comprising two air force planes and Indian army soldiers was underway.

“Since the aircraft did not reach the airfield, overdue action was initiated,” said a government official.

“A total of eight crew and five passengers were on board.” The air force had begun a search, including deploying a Sukhoi combat jet, another government official said.

Newly appointed Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said he was in touch with senior air force officials. “I pray for the safety of all passengers on board,” the minister tweeted.

Spoke to Vice Chief of @IAF_MCC, Air Marshal Rakesh Singh Bhadauria regarding the missing IAF AN-32 Aircraft which is overdue for some hours.

He has apprised me of the steps taken by the IAF to find the missing aircraft. I pray for the safety of all passengers on board.

— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) June 3, 2019

It is to be mentioned that the Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Birender Singh Dhanoa is in Sweden on a four-day visit which began on Monday.

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