<p>As the fruitless search for the IAF aircraft AN-32 continued on Day 7, defence authorities deferred the underwater search due to the delay in the arrival of NIOT’s vessel, Sagar Nidhi. <br /><br /></p>.<p>Failure to locate oil sleek or any obvious signs of the missing aircraft after extensive scouring of 300 nautical mile off the Chennai coast has made rescuers anxious. <br /><br />“(NIOT’s vessel) was supposed to reach Chennai coast on Thursday. It is delayed due to bad weather and will arrive soon to start deep-sea search,” a senior Coast Guard official seeking anonymity said. <br /><br />He said Sagar Nidhi is a vessel with fully automatic diesel-electric propulsion equipped with high-tech searching devices including a winch to lift 60 tonnes from the depth of 6000 metres in the sea. <br /><br />The official said despite the weather remaining good, the sea has become rough since Wednesday evening. <br /><br />“We will have difficulties in intensifying the search,” he said, adding the search would not be stopped. <br /><br />Coast Guard sources said they have requested deployment of INS Nirupak, since Sagar Nidhi is taking time to arrive. <br /><br />Adding to the search team’s troubles, Chennai’s Regional Meteorological Department has predicted strong off-shore winds in the south-westerly direction gusting occasionally up to 45-55 kmph along Tamil Nadu and Puducherry coasts in the next 24 hours. There were also forecasts of heavy rain. <br /><br />Defence authorities, meanwhile, are studying two dark orange objects found in the sea on Tuesday evening. Similar objects have been recovered on Wednesday night. <br />“We are examining to see if they were from the missing AN-32,” the official said. <br />The IAF aircraft with 29 defence personnel on board left Chennai for Port Blair last week and has since been missing. <br /><br /></p>
<p>As the fruitless search for the IAF aircraft AN-32 continued on Day 7, defence authorities deferred the underwater search due to the delay in the arrival of NIOT’s vessel, Sagar Nidhi. <br /><br /></p>.<p>Failure to locate oil sleek or any obvious signs of the missing aircraft after extensive scouring of 300 nautical mile off the Chennai coast has made rescuers anxious. <br /><br />“(NIOT’s vessel) was supposed to reach Chennai coast on Thursday. It is delayed due to bad weather and will arrive soon to start deep-sea search,” a senior Coast Guard official seeking anonymity said. <br /><br />He said Sagar Nidhi is a vessel with fully automatic diesel-electric propulsion equipped with high-tech searching devices including a winch to lift 60 tonnes from the depth of 6000 metres in the sea. <br /><br />The official said despite the weather remaining good, the sea has become rough since Wednesday evening. <br /><br />“We will have difficulties in intensifying the search,” he said, adding the search would not be stopped. <br /><br />Coast Guard sources said they have requested deployment of INS Nirupak, since Sagar Nidhi is taking time to arrive. <br /><br />Adding to the search team’s troubles, Chennai’s Regional Meteorological Department has predicted strong off-shore winds in the south-westerly direction gusting occasionally up to 45-55 kmph along Tamil Nadu and Puducherry coasts in the next 24 hours. There were also forecasts of heavy rain. <br /><br />Defence authorities, meanwhile, are studying two dark orange objects found in the sea on Tuesday evening. Similar objects have been recovered on Wednesday night. <br />“We are examining to see if they were from the missing AN-32,” the official said. <br />The IAF aircraft with 29 defence personnel on board left Chennai for Port Blair last week and has since been missing. <br /><br /></p>
