Coast Guard aircraft goes missing near Puducherry coast

Reports say three people were on board the missing aircraft

Indian Coast Guard's Dornier aircraft has gone missing near the Puducherry Coast.

"The Coast Guard Dornier Aircraft CG 791 deployed for surveillance along the Tamil Nadu Coast and Palk Bay from the Coast Guard Air Station Chennai last evening failed to return to the base. The last contact with the aircraft was about 9 pm and Trichy radar tracked the aircraft till 9.23 pm in posution 95 nautical miles south of Chennai (off Karaikal)," a statement from the Indian Coast Guard (East), Chennai said.

The aircraft was inducted in the Coast Guard inventory in 2014 and was being flown by highly experienced crew. According to reports, three people were on the board, including two pilots. 

The official statement did not mention anything about the crew members on board the aircraft. 

"On receipt of the information, massive search and rescue efforts have been launched by utilising all available surface and aircraft of the Indian Coast Guard and Indian Navy. Five Coast Guard ships and four naval ships along with Indian Coast Guard and Indian Navy aircrafts including long range maritime surveillance aircraft P8I are undertaking search and rescue operation in the area. The Coast Guard is closely monitoring the progress of search and rescue efforts," it said.

This is the second such incident in the last two months.

Following the incident, a drill code name 'Amla' has been postponed. Sources could not confirm if the aircraft was part of the security drill or on regular duty.
 

Fishing communites along the coast line have been alerted and asked for information.