ITANAGAR: Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu has asked the district administrations of Siang, West Siang, Lower Siang, and Shi-Yomi districts to intensify the search operation for the crashed An-32 aircraft of the IAF.
It may be mentioned that the DCs of these districts are in close coordination with the IAF and helping them out with all possible means.
Deputy Commissioners of Siang and West Siang apprised Pema Khandu about the steps initiated by them to trace the missing aircraft and said that they are working in close coordination with each other.
Meanwhile, tribal villagers had witnessed “thick black smoke” originating from a mountain towards Molo village in Arunachal Pradesh on Monday.
“... three persons of Tumbin village stated that on that day and time they saw thick black smoke which was originating from a mountain about 7-8 km towards Molo village,” Chief Minister Pema Khandu said on Thursday.
He said the statements of the villagers were being verified.
Three search parties – including one from Shi-Yomi district and one from the Army, were trekking to various possible locations to look for the aircraft.
Meanwhile, a joint effort by police, Army and the Indian Air Force (IAF) was in force to search the crashed location in an area of about 2,500 sq km in Siang district of Arunachal Pradesh.
On Monday, the An-32 took off from Assam’s Jorhat at 12.27 pm with 13 people on board for the Mechuka Advanced Landing Ground in Arunachal Pradesh’s Shi-Yomi district bordering China. The aircraft lost contact with the ground staff at 1.30 pm.
On Tuesday, the Indian Navy’s Long Range Maritime Reconnaissance aircraft P8i conducted an aerial survey to locate the partly upgraded An-32 plane.
Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) satellites CARTOSAT and RISAT are also taking images of the area. Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Air Command, Air Marshal RD Mathur, is monitoring the search and rescue operations. He has met the families of the missing IAF personnel.
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