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Inclement weather hampers search Missing AN-32 aircraft

By Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI, June 5 - The search for the AN-32 transport aircraft of IAF which went missing over the Mechuka hills in Arunachal Pradesh entered the third day today, but there has been no trace of the aircraft.

�Two Su-30s are carrying out recce since morning after flying missions at night. The search teams are not able to spot anything so far,� defence sources said.�

Helicopters and C-130J were unable to take off early morning due to rains and bad weather.

�As the weather improved later two Mi-17s and as many Advanced Light Helicopters (ALH), including one from Army resumed the search,� defence spokesman Wing Commander Ratnakar Singh told The Assam Tribune.

In addition to the aerial recce, ground parties of Army, ITBP, local police and other state agencies are also in the search mission.

�Sensors have been deployed to locate the aircraft,� Singh said.

The search by helicopters was called off at sunset, and will resume tomorrow.

However, two Su-30s and C-130Js will be carrying out night missions to locate the missing aircraft.

The AN-32 with 13 people on board, including eight crew and five passengers, took off from Jorhat at 12.27 pm on Monday for the Mechuka advanced landing ground in Shi-Yomi district in Arunachal Pradesh, and its last contact with the ground control was at 1 pm that day.

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