Kin of Navy personnel shocked

Family  of the eight Naval Armament Depot (NAD) employees are in a state of shock after hearing about the missing aircraft.

Eastern Naval Command sources in Visakhapatnam said the eight were on their routine 20-day trip to Port Blair.

NAD charge-man Samba Murty, Armament Fitters Prasad Babu, Nagendra Rao, Senapathi, Maharana, Chinna Rao and multi-tasking staffer Srinivasa Rao were among the missing.

This is the first major incident involving NAD staff who frequently visit Port Blair on duty. “We came to know about the incident around 3 pm through television channels. Immediately, we rushed to NAD where we were stopped at the main gate. All they know is that the eight from the Vizag NAD are missing,” one of Chinna’s family member said.

Gajuwaka MLA Palla Srinivasa Rao visited the families located in the ITA Junction and LaxmiNagar areas. “The news (of the missing personnel) came to our knowledge very late. I am here to provide them hope in the hour of despair,” he said.

Meanwhile, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu has asked his Cabinet colleague and Bhimunipatnam MLA Ghanta Srinivasa Rao to be in touch with the Eastern Naval Command and Coast Guard and provide assistance to the family members of the missing NAD staff.

NAD is responsible for the procurement, storage, maintenance and timely supply of ammunition, torpedoes, missiles, mines, bombs, rockets and other explosive items to the ships and other Navy and Coast Guard establishments.