No trace of missing IAF plane, satellite imagery sought

CHENNAI/VISHAKHAPATNAM: As the arduous operation to trace the IAF’S missing AN-32 air craft with 29 people on board stretched into the third day on Sunday, the search and rescue team is now seeking satellite imagery to find any clue of the plane that lost contact over the Bay of Bengal.

At least 18 navy and coast guard ships including a sub marine, and eight aircraft like P-81, C-130 and Dorniers are involved in the round the clock operation to search for the Port Blair-bound transport plane which went missing after it took off from the Tambaram air base

“There is no sign of the plane as yet,” a senior defence official said. Inclement weather was posing a major challenge in the operation. The authorities are now seeking satellite imagery of the area.

“We have also sought sat ellite information,” Eastern Naval Command chief Vice Admiral HCS Bisht said in Vishakhapatnam.

“The depth of water there is about 3,500 metres and in some place it is even more. As the depth increases, challenges also increase,” he said.

Meanwhile, air force authori ties lodged a formal complaint about the missing aircraft with the Tamil Nadu police It was lodged for strictly legal purposes.