Wrap-up: Search on for missing AN-32

The search for the AN-32 aircraft that has been missing over the Bay of Bengal with 29 on board was on Saturday on in full swing even as Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar left was in Chennai to monitor the search operation. The search is in full swing and no detection has been made till now.

The transport plane of the IAF with 29 people on board, including four officers, went missing on Friday while flying from Chennai to Port Blair. The AN-32 aircraft took off at 0830 hours from Tambaram in Chennai and the last contact with it was made 16 minutes later. The aircraft can fly for up to four hours without refuelling.

A massive search and rescue operation has been launched by IAF, Navy and Coast Guard, deploying one submarine, eight aircraft and 13 ships for tracking the upgraded plane.

However, it is said that the missing aircraft was certainly not in the best of its health. This month itself, there were several complaints that the ageing aircraft had logged in after inspections.