The IAF’s AN-32 plane took off from Tambaram (Chennai) for Port Blair at 8:30 am. Last year, the Indian Coast Guard also lost an aircraft in mysterious circumstances.
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The Russian-origin aircraft is known for its excellent take-off characteristics in hot and high conditions, and is suitable for use as a medium tactical military transport. In June 2009, India signed a $400 billion deal with Ukrspetsexport Corp., Ukraine’s state-run arms trading agency, to upgrade 104 of these aircrafts in its fleet.
This file photograph taken on September 6, 2014, shows an Indian air force AN-32 transport aircraft at an air force base in Srinagar. The aircraft can fly without being refuelled for up to four hours.
Joint search operations by the IAF, Navy and Coast Guard have already been launched after all communication with the aircraft was lost for over an hour. However, the upgrade process hit a major roadblock due to the Ukraine conflict with five of these 40 aircrafts undergoing upgrade being untraceable. About 29 people, including six crew members, are said to be aboard the plane that was to cover a distance of 1300 Kilometres (700 Nautical Miles), which is well within the range of the plane. The Defence Minister has also briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi the search operations for the IAF’s aircraft.
In one of the worst disasters involving an AN-32 in India, 20 people died and three civilians were burnt to death when a plane crashed near a New Delhi airport in 1999.
There are about 100 of these planes in the defence forces.
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India’s AN-32 fleet is now being upgraded and modernised with advanced avionics, communications systems, landing aids, new oxygen systems and better seats.
