IAF Chief BS Dhanoa to visit Assam to review search operation for missing aircraft AN 32

Image Credits: ANI

JORHAT: Indian Air Force (IAF) Chief Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa will visit Assam to review the ongoing search and rescue (SAR) operation for the missing transport plane AN 32, which went off the radar on Monday. According to reports, the IAF chief will visit the Air Force Station in Jorhat where he will be briefed by the top officials about the ongoing SAR operation for the missing AN-32 transport aircraft with 13 personnel on board. 

Though it is not clear as to when the IAF chief will leave for Assam.

There has been no breakthrough in the search for the AN-32 aircraft with operations continuing for the sixth day on Saturday.

The search operations by helicopters were called off due to low lights on Friday and it resumed on Saturday morning.

IAF spokesperson Wing Commander Ratnakar Singh said despite inclement weather, the joint search operations by IAF, Army and local administrations is currently underway on Saturday.

"Search operations by helicopters, P-8I of the Indian Navy, besides C130J and ground parties of the Indian Army and locals, were conducted but there was no sight of the aircraft till Friday," Singh said.

Ground teams of Indian Army and Indo-Tibetan Border Police along with locals and district administration officials are searching areas around Siang district.

A senior IAF official said, "Helicopters, transport aircraft, UAVs and other sensors are involved in extensive search and rescue whenever weather is permitting. The search area continues to expand to look at all possibilities. All electronic, radar, optical and infrared sensors including satellites are being employed to scan the area for any probable clues." 

On Thursday, some family members also met Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and they were briefed about the search efforts. 

The Indian Army, police, state government, paramilitary forces and local people were lending crucial support in search operations. 

Army search parties have been in the area for over two days, going through the thick forest trying to locate the aircraft. Senior Air Staff Officer of Eastern Air Command was coordinating and supervising search operations at Along.

Meanwhile, the IAF is in regular touch with the families of the missing air warriors and all possible assistance is being provided to the families. 

IAF's transport aircraft AN 32 went missing with 13 people on board in Arunachal Pradesh shortly after taking off from Jorhat airbase for Advance Landing Ground on Monday around 1 PM.

The transport aircraft was flying from Jorhat to the Mechuka Advanced Landing Ground. Mechuka is a small town in Arunachal Pradesh`s West Siang district bordering China.