Third Indian Air Force Antonov AN-32 Aircraft Disappeared in last 33 Years

The Indian Air Force has lost its fifth Antonov AN-32 military transport aircraft. The disappearance of an Indian Air Force’s AN-32 aircraft on Monday brought back agonising memories of other two IAF AN-32 missing Aircraft. Here are the details of all three IAF missing An-32 Aircrafts

1986 Indian Air Force An-32 disappearance

On 25 March 1986, an Antonov An-32 twin-engine turboprop transport aircraft of the Indian Air Force disappeared while flying over the Arabian Sea. The aircraft was on a three-aircraft ferry flight from the Soviet Union en route to India from Muscat-Seeb Airport, Oman, to Jamnagar, Gujarat, in India. There were 7 people on board. The last contact with the aircraft was 1 hour and 18 minutes after take off.

2016 Indian Air Force An-32 disappearance

On 22 July 2016, an Antonov An-32 twin-engine turboprop transport aircraft of the Indian Air Force disappeared while flying over the Bay of Bengal. The aircraft was en route from Tambaram Air Force Station in the city of Chennai on the western coastline of the Bay of Bengal to Port Blair in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. There were 29 people on board. Radar contact with the aircraft was lost at 9:12 am, 280 kilometres (170 mi) east of Chennai. The search and rescue operation became India’s largest search operation for a missing plane on the sea in history.

2019 Indian Air Force An-32 disappearance

on June 3, 2019, An Indian Air Force transport aircraft that took off from Assam’s Jorhat earlier today with eight crew members and five passengers onboard has gone missing. The Antonov An-32 took off at 12:25 pm for a remote military landing strip in Mechuka in Arunachal Pradesh. The aircraft last had contact with ground forces at 1 pm. The plane lost contact around 35 minutes after taking off.

The Indian Air Force (IAF) intensified search operations to trace the missing Antonov AN-32 aircraft but till now Aircraft is still missing.

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IAF said on Wednesday that it faced several challenges while conducting search operations due to rugged terrain and poor weather conditions. However, officers in charge of the operations said that the search has been expanded and all leads from airborne sensors are being closely assessed.

Search and rescue operations by helicopters have been called off for the day due to low visibility and will again resume tomorrow morning. Meanwhile, two SUs and C-130Js will be carrying out night missions to locate the missing aircraft.

The air force deployed two SU-30s, C-130J, Mi17s, ALHs each to locate the missing aircraft. The two SU-30 fighter aircraft have been deployed for rescue operations since morning as operations to trace the AN-32 were futile.

Meanwhile, ISRO satellites were deployed along with naval P-8I maritime surveillance aircraft to locate the wreckage of the missing AN-32 aircraft, which went missing three days ago with 13 IAF personnel on board.

“Satellites of the ISRO and other agencies have been pressed into service over parts of Arunachal Pradesh and Assam to locate the missing An-32 transport aircraft with 13 people on board. Su-30MKI, C-130J Super Hercules and other assets continuing search operations in cloudy weather,” sources in IAF said here.

The Navy said that its long-range maritime reconnaissance aircraft P-8I took off from INS Rajali in Arakonam, Tamil Nadu for joining the search and rescue operation.

Officials said the wreckage of the AN-32 transport aircraft which went missing on Monday in Arunachal Pradesh has not been located yet.