Missing aircraft: No debris or survivors found till now, says Coast Guard

“As of now no debris or survivors have been found... 13 Naval vessels, 2 Coast Guard ships besides assets from Andaman and Nicobar islands are engaged in the operations,” Coast Guard Commander (East) Inspector General Rajan Bargotra told a press conference here. “We have not been able to locate debris or survivor in the seas,” he said.

The Coast Guard is coordinating the search operations for the AN-32 aircraft which went off radar 16 minutes after taking off from nearby Tambaram airbase on its way to Port Blair on July 22.

Bargotra said that during the last four days, the area of search operation had been extended and “we are looking on all directions.”

Stating that a linear search was conducted side by side, he said,”we are picking up some items but they don’t belong to the aircraft. Presently the search is continuous.”

On challenges being faced in the search operations, Bargotra said the weather which was bad had improved since Sunday. Referring to absence of beacons from the Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT) of the aircraft, he said signals from it would have made the rescue task much easier.

“ELT did not operate it is a matter of concern. It has been taken up with equipment manufacturer,” the CG official said. He said the next step would be to go in for underwater search after surface level searches, adding it was not very simple.

Several agencies, including National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) and Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (NCOIS), were coordinating in the search operations and if needed vessel of NIOT ‘Sagar Nidhi’ which is on its way from Mauritius will be used for search operations, he said. Replying to a question, Bargotra said they had enough resources to undertake the operations, adding the search area had been expanded from the initial 14,400 square nautical miles.

Elaborating about underwater search, Bargotra said it was not simple like surface search as the exact position will have to be known for it. He said “when we go for underwater search, we will start from the position that was last reported,” adding, under ocean search cannot be done in a vast area as being done now for surface search. “Aerial search is extended to almost 60,000 square nautical miles and surface search to 14,400 square nautical miles but underwater search will be limited,” he said.

To a query, Bargotra said the earlier search was undertaken on a 120/120 nautical miles East of Chennai coast and now had been expanded.

“Only if you have the exact position, the vessels can be deployed and this is the reason they are not being deployed now. Of course the submarine from Navy is deployed.” 

“One more submarine from NIOT (National Institute of Ocean Technology) is on the way from Mauritius. It is expected to join the search once it reaches India,” he said.

Asked on whether the vessel owned by Reliance Industries would be joining the operations as it had helped in the search of Dornier air craft last year, he said, “We are definitely seeking the help of private and government agencies when the time comes for underwater search. As of now, we will not ask the private agency.” 

Asked if help from foreign countries has been sought, he said,”We have enough resources for conducting the search. As of now we have not sought any help from any other country.” To a query on the limitations faced in the search and rescue operations, he said, the weather was one factor as it was not good over the last four days.

On support from agencies like ISRO and INCOIS, he said, “INCOIS will study the ocean currents as it becomes important in situations like this.