An AN-32 transport aircraft of the Indian Air Force has gone missing after getting airborne from Jorhat at 12.24 pm on Monday. The aircraft has eight crew members and five passengers.
It was headed for the Mechuka Advance Landing Ground in Arunachal Pradesh, reported Times of India. The Mechuka Advanced Landing Ground is located near the China border. There has been no contact with ground agencies since its take-off.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh tweeted, “Spoke to Vice Chief of @IAF_MCC, Air Marshal Rakesh Singh Bhadauria regarding the missing IAF AN-32 Aircraft which is overdue for some hours. He has apprised me of the steps taken by the IAF to find the missing aircraft. I pray for the safety of all passengers on board.”
Spoke to Vice Chief of @IAF_MCC, Air Marshal Rakesh Singh Bhadauria regarding the missing IAF AN-32 Aircraft which is overdue for some hours.
He has apprised me of the steps taken by the IAF to find the missing aircraft. I pray for the safety of all passengers on board.
— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) June 3, 2019
In July 2016, an AN-32 transport plane of the Indian Air Force carrying 29 people on board, including four officers, had gone missing while flying from Chennai to Port Blair. The missing aircraft was never found and the search operation had to be called off two months later.