IAF AN-32 deployed with modern technology, will be located: Former Air Commander A.K. Singh

Expressing his concern on the missing Indian Air Force AN-32 transport aircraft, former Air Commander, Western Air command, Air Marshall A.K. Singh today said the research team will come out with something as the aircraft was recently upgraded and well equipped with modern technology.

"IAF AN-32 is a very renowned aircraft and it has a record of safety and recently it has been upgraded. I am sure something would come out, as there are very large numbers of safety devices available on the aircraft," he said.

While discussing the reason behind the incident, Singh said it might be the bad climate of the southern region.

In context of the rescue and search operation Singh said "We have a very effective search and rescue operators available with air force and with the navy and the coast guards. So, I am sure large numbers of machines are been deployed for rescue operation. Even the surveillance aircraft of the navy is flying in that area."

"The most well-trained people are put up as the crew during this bad weather. We can pray and hope that the aircraft has been are diverted to someplace from where they unable to pass any message and people are still safe," he added.

A massive full scale joint operation is underway to locate the aircraft with 29 people on board, which went missing on Friday morning, after it took off from Tambaram Air Base in Chennai around 8 a.m. and for Port Blair.

Search operations are being carried out in the Bay of Bengal by the Indian Coast Guard, navy and the IAF to locate the missing plane.