PLANE MISSING Indian military plane with more than 20 people on board has gone missing

The AN-32 transporter aircraft lost radar contact just 15 minutes after take off, Indian air force authorities have revealed.
The aircraft took off from Tambaram in Chennai, in India’s southeast, about 8.30am local time and was due to land at Port Blair, about 11.30am.

Wing Commander of the Indian Air Force Anupam Banerjee said: “It was expected at Port Blair at 11.30am however as of now it’s overdue.



“As such, we have launched a search operation.”

He said the aircraft was on a routine courier flight when it disappeared.

The Times of India has reported the plane, which was flying over the Bay of Bengal when it disappeared, lost radar contact about 8.45am.

The aircraft, which was carrying service personnel to islands near the Malacca Straits where India has a military base, can fly for up to four hours without refuelling.

The Indian airforce has about 100 of the AN-32 aircrafts.

The plane was reportedly carrying 29 people on board, including six crew members.

A search operation involving the Navy, Coast Guard and the IAF has now been launched.

More military assets have been called in to help the search with Reuters news agency reporting that surveillance planes and ships will be involved in the search.