Search Operations Continue For Missing IAF Aircraft Over Bay Of Bengal, But No Progress Yet

The joint teams of the Indian Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard are continuing their search and rescue operations for the missing AN-32 aircraft in the Bay of Bengal.

AFP/ Representative Image

They had been on the mission since Friday and all through the night after the flight went missing.?

Ships deployed for the search include Shivalik-class stealth frigate INS Sahyadri, guided-missile destroyers INS Rajput and Ranvijay, corvettes Kamorta, Kirch, Karmuk, Kora, Kuthar, fleet tankers INS Shakti and INS Jyoti, amphibious warfare vessel INS Gharial and patrol vessel INS Sukanya, the Indian Navy said. Four Coast Guard ships are also involved in the operations.

Despite the extensive search there has been no progress in locating the ill-fated flight so far.

With more than a day since the plane went off the radars, the possibility of finding survivors are increasingly becoming bleak with every passing hour.?

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar is also set to reach Chennai to oversee the operations.?

The Russian-origin Antonov-32 plane disappeared about 280 km off the coast of Chennai with 29 passengers and crew members on-board on Friday while enroute to Port Blair in the Andamans. The last contact the pilots had with the ground staff was just 15-20 minutes into the flight.

AFP

According to the Air Force the aircraft had developed some technical snags earlier this month despite undergoing a life-extension, overhaul and upgrade refit just as recently as September last year.

However they insist the the snags were minor in nature.?