The IAF has also requested family members to sign the certificate of presumption of death in order to begin legal proceedings for compensation.

The Indian Air Force has finally informed family members of those on board its missing AN-32 aircraft that there was no chances of survival anymore. This comes after the massive search and rescue operation (SAR) carried out in the Bay of Bengal for close to two months failed to yield any substantial breakthrough.

On 22 July, the ill-fated Antonov-32 aircraft of the Indian Air Force carrying 29 people on board, including six crew members, went missing over the Bay of Bengal while on its way to Port Blair from Tambaram air base in Tamil Nadu.

In a correspondence to the family members of those onboard the aircraft, the IAF has mentioned that it is "unlikely" that the missing personnel would have survived the accident.

CERTIFICATE OF PRESUMPTION OF DEATH

The letter titled "Presumption of Demise" also mentions that a Court of Inquiry was conducted to "examine the available evidence and establish the possibilities of survival of the aircrew and passengers."

Following the inquiry conducted by the Air Force station at Sulur, the IAF concluded that "it is unlikely that the missing personnel on board the ill-fated aircraft would have survived the accident."

This after "careful scrutiny of the circumstantial evidence available and in light of existence search and rescue operation carried out," the letter states.

The IAF has also requested family members to sign the "certificate of presumption of death" in order to begin legal proceedings for compensation.

In an effort to console the bereaved family members, the IAF in its letter states that it has "spared no efforts whatsoever in trying to locate the aircraft and the missing personnel."

"No fewer than 201 search and rescue sorties, using all suitable aircraft at our disposal were undertaken. Approximately 2,17,800 square Nautical Miles (Sq Nm) has been covered multiple number of times by these aircrafts," the letter stated adding that even date from international emergency response teams and satellites from USA also "did not help in getting any concrete information about the missing aircraft."

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