No clue of missing AN-32 in Arunachal on fourth day

Fourth day's search for the IAF's missing AN-32 in Arunachal Pradesh concluded with no clue yet about the aircraft.

Sukhoi 30, C130, MI-17 helicopters of IAF and advance light choppers and drones of the army were used on Thursday but could not locate the aircraft.

Teams of local residents were also sent to remote locations in jungles to search the possible wreckage of the aircraft but they too remained clueless.

The IAF spokesperson based at eastern command headquarters in Shillong, Wing Commander Ratnakar Singh, said the search by helicopters was affected on Thursday morning due to bad weather but it resumed after the situation cleared.

The AN-32 took off at 12.27pm on Monday from Jorhat airbase in eastern Assam with 13 people on board for Mechuka, close to China border in Arunachal Pradesh but lost contact with the ground agencies at 1 pm. Eight crewmen and five other IAF personnel had boarded the aircraft at Jorhat.

Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu took stock of the search operation and asked government officials to step up efforts to locate the missing aircraft.

The AN-32 is used to carry materials for both defence persons as well as civilians living in remote areas like Mechuka, situated atop 6,000 feet. The aircraft was headed for IAF's advanced landing ground at Mechuka, which is about 30-km away from China border.

"C130J and SU-30 aircraft have made several sorties so far but got no clue about the missing aircraft. A well-coordinated search is underway including by teams of army and ITBP personnel on the ground," Singh said.

P8i, a maritime reconnaissance aircraft of Indian Navy also carried out recee and Isro satellites are also being used to find whereabouts of the missing aircraft.