Indian Air Force plane along with 29 people on board goes missing

• A transport plane of the Indian Air Force with 29 people on board went missing today, July 22, while flying from Chennai to Port Blair
• The AN-32 aircraft took off at 0830 hours from Tambaram in Chennai and the last contact with it was made 16 minutes later
• A massive search operation has been launched by the IAF, Navy and the Coast Guard

A transport plane of the Indian Air Force with 29 people on board went missing today, July 22, while flying from Chennai to Port Blair.

The AN-32 aircraft took off at 0830 hours from Tambaram in Chennai and the last contact with it was made 16 minutes later, Defence Ministry officials said.

Follow NewsGram on Twitter

The aircraft was flying from Chennai to Port Blair. Those on board included six crew members.

Officials said it was "courier flight" with service personnel on board. A major search and rescue operation has been launched by the Indian Navy in the Bay of Bengal.

Follow NewsGram on Facebook

The aircraft can fly for up to four hours without refuelling.

Navy officials said that one P-8I surveillance aircraft, one Dornier and four ships have been deployed in the search and rescue operation and more assets are being dispatched. (IANS)

ALSO READ:

• Nepal to receive four Chinese passenger aircraft
• Aircraft crash in central Colombia, 3 killed
• Indian Coast Gaurd's Dornier aircraft missing; search and rescue operation on