Reward for info about missing AN-32 aircraft

With fighter jets, helicopters and satellites providing no clue about the fate of the IAF AN-32 six days after it went missing, the Arunachal Pradesh government on Saturday announced a reward of Rs. 50,000 for anyone giving any substantive information about the plane.

Following suit, the IAF also announced a reward of Rs. 5 lakh for anyone giving information about the missing aircraft. This was announced hours after West Siang district administration in Arunachal Pradesh, where the aircraft lost its contact with the ground staffs at 1 pm on June 3, announced Rs. 50,000 for similar information.

The state government also asked all village headmen to carry out the search and help all other agencies like police, civilians, hunters and local residents, who have been continuously scouting the area, an official statement said.

Sources said the AN-32 lost contact near Aalo, the district headquarters of West Siang.

The aircraft took off at 12.27 pm on Monday from Jorhat air force station in eastern Assam with 13 persons on board, bound for Mechuka, close to China border in Arunachal Pradesh. Eight crewmen and five other IAF personnel were onboard the plane.

Rain and clouds affected Saturday’s search by the other aircraft and only Mi17, advance light helicopters and Cheetah helicopters could be used to carry out the search over the jungles close to China border.

IAF had already deployed the services of four Mi-17, three ALH, two Su-30 MKI, one C-130, two Cheetah helicopters, one Army UAV and Pi8, a maritime reconnaissance aircraft of Indian Navy to carry out the search but yielded no result.

Teams of local residents were also sent to remote locations in the jungles to search the possible wreckage of the aircraft but they have not found anything yet.

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 advance landing ground at Mechuka, which is about 30-km away from China border.

There are six other Mechuka-like advance landing grounds close to China border, where IAF aircraft operate.