AN-32 crash: Induction of 15 mountaineers complete, team to close in to crash site on Thursday

The operation to airlift 15 mountaineers by helicopters to search for possible survivors in the site the where the missing AN-32 aircraft crashed is complete, defence sources said here on Wednesday.

However, the team is yet to reach the crash site due to inclement weather and terrain. The team will be camping overnight due to difficult terrain and weather and will close in to the crash site on Thursday, they said.

Earlier today, IAF airdropped 8 to 10 personnel near the crash site of the missing aircraft AN-32 in Arunachal Pradesh in two helicopter sorties. A team of army and civil mountaineers were also airlifted to a location close to the place of the crash of the missing AN-32 aircraft.

Sources in Indian Air Force today said that the blockage of view due to clouds could have been the reason behind the crash of AN-32 transport aircraft in Arunachal Pradesh.

The crash point of the aircraft shows how close it was to clear the hill but could not, probably due to blockage of view due to clouds, sources in the Air Force said.

Pictures of the crash site emerging today suggested that the aircraft was trying to climb over the mountain top but failed to do so.

"After having located the crash site, a team comprising personnel from IAF, Army and Civil Mountaineers have been airlifted to a location close to the crash site. Air Marshal RD Mathur, AOC-in-C, EAC, complimented the search team for their relentless effort spanning eight days," IAF said in a tweet later in the day.

"Additionally, he thanked the state administration which has extended unflinching support to the IAF towards locating the missing An-32. The proud and highly patriotic people of the state have worked tirelessly to help the IAF for a national cause," it added.

The AN-32 aircraft with 13 IAF personnel onboard went missing on May 3 after getting airborne from Jorhat. The aircraft was headed towards Mechuka Advanced Landing Ground in Arunachal Pradesh when it lost contact with ground authorities at around 1300 hours.

After eight days of intensive search and rescue operations, which included missions by Sukhoi-30 MKI aircraft, C-130J Special Operations plane, several choppers, UAVs, Naval P-8I aircraft, Global- 5000 surveillance aircraft of the Aviation Research Centre and even use of ISRO and NTRO satellites, the wreckage of the aircraft was finally located on Tuesday.

The wreckage of the plane was located 16 km north of Lipo at an elevation of 12000 feet by Mi-17 choppers of the IAF undertaking search operations in the expanded search zone.

IAF is continuing search operation in the area where the wreckage of missing AN-32 aircraft was found yesterday.

IAF has lost more than 10 aircraft this year in various crashes.