Tribune News Service
New Delhi, June 8

The Indian Air Force (IAF) on Saturday announced a Rs 5 lakh award for information on location of the missing AN-32 plane.

The plane is missing since 1 pm on June 3. It was on flight from Jorhat in Assam to Mechuka, an advanced landing ground, in Arunachal Pradesh.

While the search for the missing aircraft is on, Air Marshal RD Mathur, Chief of the Eastern Air Command, has announced a cash award of Rs 5 lakh for the person or group who provide credible information leading to finding of the aircraft.

The IAF has given out contact numbers.

IAF is using all its assets and taking help of the Army, Arunachal Pradesh civil authorities and other national agencies to locate the missing aircraft, said Wing Commander Ratnakar Singh, the Ministry of Defence Spokesperson at Shillong.

Earlier, a statement issued by the IAF spokesman said the search team has been trying to trace the aircraft with advanced technology and sensors sourced from different agencies, including ISRO satellites.

“The inhospitable terrain and thick vegetation is affecting the mission. Add to that, inclement weather and low visibility throughout the day posed a serious challenge to the aerial operations,” he said.

Along with local people, the Indian Army, the state police and the ITBP carried out intense search operation all Saturday to no avail, Singh rued.

“The IAF has increased the deployment of its helicopters and transport aircraft for the operation and expanded the search area significantly over the past few days.

“The data and imaging collected from airborne sensors and satellites are being analysed closely for clues,” he maintained.

Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa, had visited Jorhat on Saturday to assess the ongoing search operations, Singh said.

Dhanoa was given a detailed briefing about the operations and apprised of the situation, following which he met the families of the officers and the airmen, who were on board the IAF plane, he added. — With agency inputs