Premium
This is an archive article published on January 13, 2024

7 years after IAF plane went missing, its debris found off Chennai coast

Defence Ministry confirms wreckage is of AN-32 that had 29 on board

IAF plane went missing, IAF plane missing, missing IAF plane, National Institute of Ocean Technology, port blair flight, Indian express news, current affairsThe AUV spotted the debris of the plane during its trial in the Bay of Bengal

A routine testing of a recently-acquired automatic underwater vehicle (AUV) by the Chennai-based National Institute of Ocean Technology stumbled upon a large debris that eventually solved the seven-year-old mystery of a missing transport plane of the Indian Air Force.

The AN-32 transport plane, with 29 people on board, was flying from Chennai to Port Blair on July 22, 2016 when it had gone missing.

The AUV, used for deep sea exploration up to a depth of 6,000 metres, was imported from Norway by the NIOT about six months ago for its own use, and was being lowered in the Bay of Bengal last week for testing and training purposes, when it spotted a few metal parts.

Story continues below this ad

“The first thing it saw was a chakra, a three-coloured emblem. When the people at NIOT saw it they first thought it might be the remains of a ship-wreck. Some nearby areas were also searched and a few metal pieces were observed. We sent the images to the Indian Navy and the Indian Air Force. The IAF identified it as their plane,” M Ravichandran, Secretary of the Ministry of Earth Sciences under which NIOT functions, told The Indian Express.

IAF plane went missing, IAF plane missing, missing IAF plane, National Institute of Ocean Technology, port blair flight, Indian express news, current affairs The wreakage was found in sea around 300 km off the Chennai coast. (Special Arrangement)

Referring to the search operation soon after the plane went missing, the Defence Ministry said in a statement Friday: “Large scale search and rescue operations by aircraft and ships could not locate any missing personnel or the aircraft debris.”

The help of NIOT was sought at that time as well, but it did not have the kind of equipment it has now.

The wreakage was found in sea around 300 km off the Chennai coast.

Story continues below this ad

“It was a purely accidental discovery last week. It had not gone there to search. The AUV had gone to the sea earlier as well as part of its tests. This time, when it was about 3,400 metres below the sea surface, it noticed the wreckage. The AUV takes photos and videos while exploring the area under sea. Those images have now been confirmed to be that of the crashed AN-32,” Ravichandran said.

The Defence Ministry said it had confirmed that the images are indeed that of the crashed aircraft.

“The search images were scrutinised and found to be conforming with an AN-32 aircraft. This discovery at the probable crash site, with no other recorded history of any other missing aircraft report in the same area, points to the debris as possibly belonging to the crashed IAF AN-32,” it said in the statement.

Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram

Latest Comment
Post Comment
Read Comments
Advertisement
Advertisement
Loading Taboola...
Advertisement