Indian Air Force's AN-32 aircraft with 29 people on board missing

[airtel]

IAF's An-32 with 29 people on board goes missing.
The plane took off from the Tambaram air base near Chennai for Port Blair at 8.30 am. It was to have landed around 11.20 am.
The last contact with the plane, was around 15 minutes after take-off. The plane has an emergency beacon locator, which gets activated if there is a crash.
A massive search operation has been launched by the air force, Navy and Coast Guard.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/india...ple-missing/story-7U8YiHoq2vMjEe4q6yiK0H.html

 

[airtel]

Jul 22, 2016

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  14:07(IST)
  
  AN-32: Antonov, a new Russian plane
  
  
  
  "The An-32 from the backbone of the IAF's medium lift capabilities. Originally equipping six operational squadrons and a training unit, several of the type has now been put into storage. The An-32s were hit hard by the chaos in the ex-USSR as spares became harder to obtain. In response to these problems, the IAF successfully fitted several An-32s with An-12 power plants upon the retirement of the latter, and put a number airframes into storage. Although the spares problem is no longer as acute as in the early 1990s, the IAF has seen fit to keep the type flying with four operational squadrons and prevent wear & tear on the rest. The IAF still maintains one and a half squadrons of Hs.748 military freighters. The retirement of these aircraft in the near future is bound to affect the IAF airlift capabilities. It is not yet clear what aircraft the IAF considering as replacements for the type, although a fleeting interest has been shown in the ATR-42. The An-32s will also need replacements by the end of the decade as spares become harder to come by and airframe life will rapidly expire. The IAF Do-228 light transports are relatively new and the type is still in production in-country and one can expect the type to stick around well into the future."
  
  
  
  According to Bharat Rakshak
  
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• 13:53(IST)
  
  Rescue ops on
  
  
  
  Full scale search and rescue operation has been launched in in Bay of Bengal for IAF aircraft AN-32. One P8 I and one Dornier aircraft launched. Four Indian Navy ships diverted to join in search and rescue operations.
  
  UPDATE: One P8 I & one Dornier aircraft launched. 4 Indian Navy ships diverted to join in Search & Rescue operations.
  
  — ANI (@ANI_news) July 22, 2016
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• 13:50(IST)
  
  Wing Commander, Praful Bakshi on Times Now:
  
  
  
  What goes on in the IAF control room when the air-craft goes missing — the radar in the area are monitored and there is a beacon on the aircraft which is support to give constant transmission. The coast guard and the navy have already activated that.
  
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• 13:48(IST)
  
  AN-32: A reliable aircraft
  
  
  
  The AN-32 is an old plane, but is a reliable aircraft with a good record. It is a Russian plane and has serviced the IAF across the world.
  
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• 13:42(IST)
  
  People onboard: 6 crew members, 23 others
  
  
  
  According to a Times Now report, there are 4 crew members on board the IAF AN-32 and there are 25 others on the plane as well.
  
  However, PTI reports that there were 6 crew members.
  
  The nature of this flight is military and is in the chennai flight information region.
  
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• 13:41(IST)
  
  The plane was on courier duty
  
  
  
  This means that the airplane was intended to send mail, letters to Port Blair along with people. The plane lost radio contact and if officially missing.
  
  
  
  
  
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• 13:36(IST)
  
  Rescue and search operations on
  
  
  
  Search operations are underway. Join operations and rescue operations have been launched all over the Bay of Bengal to locate the plane and rescue those on board.
  
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• 13:35(IST)
  
  Last contact made at 7.46 am
  
  
  
  The plane left Tambaram at 7.30 am and the aircraft AN-32 carrying 29 people on board en-route to Portblair made the last contact at 7.46 am.
  
  The plane was last seen ont he radar at 8.12 am.
  
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• 13:34(IST)
  
  29 aboard
  
  
  
  On the IAF plane, there are 29 people aboard. The flight was enroute Port Blair from Chennai (Tambaram).
  
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• 13:33(IST)
  
  IAF plane missing
  
  
  
  According to ANI, Indian Air Force AN-32 plane flying from Tambaram (Chennai) to Port Blair has gone missing for over 1 hour.
  
  #FLASH : Indian Air Force AN-32 plane flying from Tambaram (Chennai) to Port Blair has gone missing for 1hr, more details awaited
  
  — ANI (@ANI_news) July 22, 2016

http://www.firstpost.com/india/iaf-aircraft-with-29-on-board-goes-missing-2908558.html