Although four days have passed, the search parties both on air and ground involving IAF, Army, ITBP and civil administration of Arunachal Pradesh failed to trace the AN-32 aircraft that has remained missing since Monday.
Defence PRO Wing Commander Ratnakar Singh said MI-17 and Advanced Light Helicopters searched for the missing AN-32 on Thursday morning.
Later Su-30 and C-130J and Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) have also been deployed by the forces to search for the missing aircraft.
Also read: IAF’s AN 32 aircraft goes missing along China border
On the other hand, expressing concern over the safety of the 13 IAF personnel, Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Thursday called all the district administrations of Siang, West Siang, Lower Siang and Shi-Yomi to intensify search operation.
Also read: IAF’s AN-32 aircraft remains missing over Arunachal on day 3
It may be mentioned that the Deputy Commissioners (DCs) of these districts are in close coordination with the Indian Air Force (IAF) and helping them out with all possible means.
Deputy Commissioners of Siang and West Siang arranged three teams consisting of 3/4 locals in each team to trace out the missing aircraft and the people on board.
Also read: Arunachal: Missing AN-32 comes as reminder for similar tragedy decade back
The teams have been proceeding towards Bayor adi mountain range (in front of Tumbin village), Pari adi mountain (in front of Molo village) and towards Sibir-Virgong mountain range (between Molo and Tumbin) to search the missing AN-32.
Also read: Pilot’s wife was on ATC duty in Jorhat when IAF aircraft went missing
Meanwhile, a joint effort by civil police, Army and IAF is in force to search the crash location in an area of about 2,500 sq km that falls under Kaying and Payum circle of Siang Distt of Arunachal Pradesh.
“But till now, no exact location is found out. Today, three persons from Tumbin village stated that on the day and time of the incident when they were doing field work, they saw a thick black smoke which was originating from a different mountain which has an aerial distance of about7/8 km towards the Molo village,” officials said.
Khandu also asked the DCs concerned to intensify the search operation and also appealed to the villagers of the adjoining areas falling in the probable route of the aircraft to provide any sort of information to the nearest administrative headquarters or police outposts.
He also appealed to them to join in the search operation so that the missing aircraft and the crew and passengers on board could be traced out at the earliest.