Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar today said he will monitor the search operations of the AN-32 aircraft that went missing with 29 people on board.
Parrikar tweeted upon his arrival at the Tambaram airforce in Chennai.
Reached Tambaram to monitor operations on IAF AN 32 aircraft.
— Manohar Parrikar (@manoharparrikar) July 23, 2016
Efforts on to trace IAF AN 32 aircraft and our Service personnel on board.
— Manohar Parrikar (@manoharparrikar) July 22, 2016
The search for the AN-32 aircraft that has been missing over the Bay of Bengal with 29 on board was today on in full swing even as Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar reached Tambaram Air Force base in Chennai to monitor the massive search operation. Parrikar tweeted on Saturday that efforts are being taken.
Defence sources said the search is in full swing and no detection has been made till now.
#SAROps Total number if ships deployed by IN& ICG now 17 (12+5). Total Ac on search mission >6. Search to continue 24x7
— SpokespersonNavy (@indiannavy)July 22, 2016
#SAROps 18 Naval & ICG ships (+1sm) deployed with various aircraft incl P8I, C130 & Dorniers to locate missing AN 32 @SpokespersonMoD
— SpokespersonNavy (@indiannavy)July 23, 2016
The transport plane of the Indian Air Force (IAF) with 29 people on board, including four officers, took off at 0830 hours from Tambaram in Chennai to Port Blair. The last contact with it was made 16 minutes later.
The aircraft can fly for up to four hours without refuelling.
Parrikar will receive a detailed briefing on the entire operations, the sources said.
A massive search and rescue operation has been launched by IAF, Navy and Coast Guard, deploying one submarine, eight aircraft and 13 ships for tracking the upgraded plane.
The 29 people on board the Air Force’s workhorse for a long period included six crew members, two of them pilots and one navigator. Besides, there were 11 personnel from the IAF including an officer, two from the Army, one from the Coast Guard and 9 from the navy which included some from its armament depot.