On 3 June 2019, an Antonov An-32 twin engine turboprop transport aircraft of the Indian Air Force en route from Jorhat Airport in Assam to Mechuka in Arunachal Pradesh lost contact with ground control about 33 minutes after takeoff. There were 13 people on board. After a week-long search operation, the wreckage with no survivors was found near Pari hills close to Gatte village in Arunachal Pradesh at the elevation of 12,000 feet (3,700 m).
.jpg) K2752, the aircraft involved in the accident in 2005 | |
| Accident | |
|---|---|
| Date | 3 June 2019 |
| Summary | Crashed in hilly terrain |
| Site | Near Pari hills close to Gatte village, Arunachal Pradesh, India |
| Aircraft | |
| Aircraft type | Antonov An-32 |
| Operator |  Indian Air Force |
| Registration | K2752 |
| Flight origin | Jorhat Airport Air Force Station, Assam, India |
| Destination | Mechuka Advanced Landing Ground, Arunachal Pradesh, India |
| Occupants | 13 |
| Fatalities | 13 |
| Survivors | 0 |
The Indian Air Force has suffered other similar incidents, mainly involving Antonov An-32 aircraft in 1986 and 2016.
Passengers
editThere were 13 Indian Air Force personnel, eight crew members and five passengers on board the aircraft.[1][2][3] There were no survivors.[4]
Search operation
editThe Antonov An-32 twin engine turboprop transport aircraft was en route from Jorhat Airport in Assam to Mechuka Advanced Landing Ground in Arunachal Pradesh on 3 June 2019. The aircraft took off from Johrat at 12:27 pm IST and lost contact with ground control at 1 pm IST, about 33 minutes after takeoff.[1][3]
After eight days of search operation that had been hindered by poor weather, on 11 June 2019, the wreckage of the aircraft was found near Pari hills close to Gatte village, 16 kilometres (9.9 mi; 8.6 nmi) north of Lipo in Arunachal Pradesh, at 12,000 feet (3,700 m) elevation.[4][5] The Indian Air Force had previously offered a cash reward of ₹5 lakh (US$6,000) for anyone who could share information on the aircraft.[6] A fleet of Sukhoi-30, C-130J and An-32 aircraft and Mi-17 and ALH helicopters as well as the Indian Army, the Indo-Tibetan Border Police and the state police forces were deployed for the search operation. The Indian Navy's P-8i aircraft was also deployed. ISRO's Cartosat and RISAT satellites were also used.[7]
On 12 June 2019, a team of 15 rescuers were airdropped near the crash site, but were unable to reach the location due to rough terrain and bad weather.[8] The next day the rescue team reached the site and reported that there were no survivors, and that they had recovered the aircraft's flight recorders.[1][9]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c Berlinger, Joshua (6 June 2019). "Indian military plane vanishes mid-flight". CNN. Retrieved 11 June 2019.
- ^ "Indian air force finds wreckage of missing plane". Reuters. 11 June 2019. Archived from the original on 11 June 2019. Retrieved 11 June 2019.
- ^ a b "Goodbye bravehearts: Nation bids farewell to 13 IAF personnel killed in An-32 crash". India Today. Ist. 13 June 2019. Retrieved 14 June 2019.
- ^ a b "AN-32 crash: no survivors, all 13 people on board dead, IAF says". The Times of India. Ist. 13 June 2019. Retrieved 14 June 2019.
- ^ "Missing An-32: Wreckage of aircraft found in Arunachal after 8 days, confirms Air Force". India Today. 11 June 2019. Retrieved 11 June 2019.
- ^ "Air Force announces Rs 5 lakh reward for information on missing AN-32 aircraft". India Today. 9 June 2019. Retrieved 11 June 2019.
- ^ "Rescue Operation Begins at Crash Site of IAF's AN-32, Mi17s, Advanced Helicopters Being Used". News18. Retrieved 14 June 2019.
- ^ Bhalla, Abhishek (12 June 2019). "An-32 aircraft wreckage: Rescue teams face inclement weather, to camp overnight in Arunachal jungles near crash site". India Today. Retrieved 13 June 2019.
- ^ "IAF team recovers An-32 black box from crash site". India Today. 13 June 2019. Retrieved 13 June 2019.
External links
edit