A massive search and rescue operation is currently on in the Bay of Bengal to locate an Indian Air Force's AN-32 aircraft which went missing today morning with 29 people on board. The plane was on a routine weekly flight from Chennai to Port Blair.

According to reports, the missing AN-32 abruptly turned and plunged from 23,000 feet approximately 280-km out at sea from Chennai.

The plane took off from Chennai's Tambaram aircraft at about 8:00 am and was scheduled to land at Port Blair in Andaman and Nicobar islands at around 11:20 am. The plane's last known contact with the ground control was at 8:46 am after which it vanished from the radar screens.

WAR SCALE SEARCH OPERATION

The Indian Air Force, Navy and Coast Guard have launched a full scale search and rescue operation to locate the missing aircraft. The air force has deployed three aircraft, including a C-130J Super Hercules and four ships while the Navy has pressed several of its vessels into service. INS Karmukh, Gharial, Jyoti, Kuthar, Sahyadri, Rajput, Ranvijay, Kamorta, Kirch etc. are scanning the aircraft's flight route. | IAF in a death spiral

The Indian Navy has also diverted one of its submarines to detect the transmissions of locator beacon of the missing IAF aircraft.

Updated list of IAF & Navy assets hunting for Indian Air Force An-32. Now 6.5 hours since last contact with plane. pic.twitter.com/Pa4YgEfMpW Shiv Aroor (@ShivAroor) July 22, 2016

AN-32: IAF's workhorse

The Russian made AN-32 is considered to be one of the most reliable machines that the IAF has. The twin-engine aircraft is primarily used to ferry cargo.



The aircraft has the ability to take off and land from small airstrips. Nearly 100 AN-32s are in service with the IAF currently.

2 Navy aircraft (P-8I & Dornier) 4 ships currently on hunt for missing IAF An-32. More to be deployed. pic.twitter.com/n5GgQXZuEK Shiv Aroor (@ShivAroor) July 22, 2016



Fullscale SAR lched by Indian Navy 2 look for IAF AN 32 ac overdue at INS Utkrosh PB since 1130h @SpokespersonMoD pic.twitter.com/fIDQQyz8ER SpokespersonNavy (@indiannavy) July 22, 2016

@SpokespersonMoD 4 ships deployed in Bay of Bengal diverted for SAR Kuthar Karmukh Gharial & Jyoti + 2 each P8I& DO pic.twitter.com/vZqtCgOgEh

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