India official says air force plane with 29 on board missing

While discussing the reason behind the incident, Singh said it might be the bad climate of the southern region. In the latest development, the number of ships deployed for the search and rescue now stands at 17. The aircraft, which was en route to the capital of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands – a union territory of India situated in the Bay of Bengal – was reportedly on courier duty. “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.

The islands are near the Malacca Straits, one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes which link the Indian Ocean to the South China Sea and East Asia.

Reports, meanwhile, said the plane might have gone down from its altitude of 23,000 feet.

Indian coastguard immediately after the incident sent in ICG ships Sagar and Samudra Pahredar for search and rescue mission.

The AN-32, equipped with navigational aids, are the IAF’s workhorse aircraft and capable of flying for up to four hours without refueling.

The Eastern Naval Command (ENC) deployed two P8I long-range maritime surveillance aircraft with advanced electro-optics and radars, two Dornier aircraft and 12 ships with integral helicopters to join the search operations.

India’s military relies heavily on Russian-made equipment with a poor safety record.

The AN32 is believed to be taking in logistics supplies from Tambaram airbase to Port Blair when the incident occurred.

Authorities said that the plane, with six crew members on board, was scheduled to land in Port Blair at 11:30 a.m. (1:30 a.m. EDT), local news network NDTV reported. The twin-engine aircraft is primarily used for transporting cargo, passengers, including skydivers or paratroopers, as well as in fore-fighting.