The Russian-made aircraft took off from Jorhat at 12.27 pm on Monday for the Mechuka Advanced Landing Ground. Its last contact with the ground control was at 1 pm
The Indian Air Force (IAF) on Thursday said it has intensified the search operation to trace the AN-32 aircraft that has gone missing in Arunachal Pradesh after taking off from Assam’s Jorhat, and has deployed more assets and roped in the local civic and police agencies in its effort.
The Russian-made aircraft took off from Jorhat at 12.27 pm on Monday for the Mechuka Advanced Landing Ground. Its last contact with the ground control was at 1 pm. A total of eight aircrew and five passengers were on board the aircraft. All the three armed forces have deployed their assets to trace the aircraft. However, the search-and-rescue (SAR) operation has met with little success so far due to the difficult terrain and rough weather.
According to sources, the rescuers have not received any signal from the emergency locator beacon in the missing plane and there is a possibility that the device may not have been functional. They said the IAF had deployed four Mi-17 helicopters, three advanced light helicopters, of which two belonged to the Army, two Sukhoi-30 aircraft, one C-130 transporter aircraft and one Unmanned Aerial Vehicle of the Army. Two Cheetah helicopters will also join the search operations on Friday, the sources said.
“The IAF has further intensified and expanded search for the missing AN-32. Fighter aircraft, C130, helicopters, aircraft carrying specialised sensors, satellites and all possible civil, police and local administrative agencies have further expanded search based on human and sensor inputs,” the Air Force said in a statement. “The search by parties on foot and night-capable aircraft will continue through the night and satellite data is being analysed regularly,” it added.
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