Parrikar monitors operations but no sign of missing plane
CHENNAI/NEW DELHI: The search for the missing AN-32 aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF) continued on Saturday with Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar flying down to Tamil Nadu to personally monitor the operations but no trace of it was found till late evening.
The search continued with more assets being pulled in, even as the rough seas posed a challenge. The AN32 transport aircraft with 29 people on board went missing on Friday over the Bay of Bengal off the Chennai coast.
Indian Air Force (IAF) spokesman Wing Commander Anupam Banerjee said that no signs of the missing aircraft were found so far.
“The search operations are continuing but we have not found any signs of the missing aircraft yet,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Indian space agency said it will be using its Radar Imaging Satellite (RISAT) that can see through the clouds to locate the missing plane.
“We will be using RISAT to locate the missing aircraft. The satellite can take pictures both during the day and night. It can see through the clouds,” Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Chairman A S Kiran Kumar said in Chennai.
Defence Minister Parrikar flew down to Arakkonam in Tamil Nadu, and flew on a P8I maritime surveillance aircraft, accompanied by IAF chief Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha and Eastern Naval Command chief, Vice Admiral H C S Bisht to review the search operation.
Arakkonam has Indian Navy’s base INS Rajali, around 70 km from the IAF base in Tambaram from where the AN32 has taken off.
“Defence Minister situation and utilisation reviewed the of assets and resources and has directed that if necessary more resources be diverted to the effort,” said a Defence Ministry officials.
“The Minister was appraised of the difficult conditions under which the operations are being carried out during the last 24 hours. The sea is very choppy and there is thick cloud cover in the area,” the official said.
Parrikar has directed all top officials to be in touch with the families of those who were on board and provide them information that may be required.
A statement from Indian Navy said the minister was briefed about the challenges of undertaking SAR under monsoon conditions with heavy rain, cloud cover, rough sea condition and most importantly, depths of over 3,500 metres in the area.
He was also briefed about future plans involving additional ships and submarine that were heading for the area to join in the search operations.
The IAF has deployed two C-130 aircraft equipped with electro-optical and infra-red sensors. Indian Navy P8I aircraft equipped with Synthetic Aperture Radar along with Dorniers are also taking part in this operation.
Indian Navy has deployed 13 ships in the search area and is being assisted by six ships of Indian Coast Guard and merchant vessels in the area.
A submarine has also been deployed for the task.
“The Maritime Rescue and Coordination Centre at Chennai has been coordinating round the clock surveillance towards search effort along with Southern Air Command of IAF, Indian Navy and Indian Coast Guard,” an official statement said.