Aircraft Missing 24 Hours On
There was still no news of the missing Sukhoi Su-30 aircraft on Wednesday morning, 24 hours after it went missing. Two helicopters and ground teams launched a search operation for the IAF's missing fighter jet. However, bad weather hindered the operations, reportedly.
A statement issued on by the Ministry of Defence earlier on Tuesday stated that help from civil administration and military authorities was also sought for the search and rescue and missions.
The statement read:
A two seater Su-30 MKI aircraft of IAF, which got airborne from Tezpur Airbase today (Tuesday) morning on a routine training mission as part of a two aircraft formation, lost Radar and Radio contact with controlling station at around 1110h. The last reported position was 60 Km North-West of Tezpur. The aircraft was declared overdue and Search and Rescue operations have been activated to locate the aircraft and the pilots.
Aircraft Not Found Yet: IAF
The Indian Air Force has denied reports of the Sukhoi Su-30 being found in West Kameng. They have said that the chopper is still airborne and the search for it is still on and that no contact has been established with the aircraft yet.
Could Be Missing Around West Kameng
The Sukhoi Su-30 jet which went missing on Tuesday, could have been lost around West Kameng district in Arunachal Pradesh, as media reports suggest.
Sukhoi Su-30: A Quick Glance
The Sukhoi Su-30 aeroplane is a two-seat fighter jet which is capable of striking at ground and naval surface targets using guided and unguided Aircraft Design and Operation (ADO).
The Su-30, equipped with a twin cock-pit, is the IAF's prime fighter jet. The supersonic jet is meant for all-weather, air-to-air and air-to-surface mission. It is the latest addition IAF's fighter jets and has a good safety record. Su-30 has air-to-air refueling capability and can fly at a maximum speed of nearly 2,500 km per hour.
The Su-30 has several versions. Su-30 MKI is being built under licence by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited for the Air Force. It was originally designed and developed in Russia. The aircraft was inducted into the IAF in 1997.
Since their induction, seven crashes have taken place. An inquiry into the plane accidents has primarily indicated technical failure as their cause.
The last Sukhoi accident occurred on 15 March when a Su-30 MKI had crashed in Rajasthan's Barmer, hours after a Chetak helicopter crash landed and toppled in Kaushambi near Allahabad.
On 19 May 2015, a SU-30 had crashed in a paddy field in Nagaon district in Assam during a routine training mission but the two pilots had ejected safely.
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A Sukhoi Su-30 jet, with two Indian Air Force pilots onboards, went missing on Tuesday. Identity of the pilots have not been disclosed. The last contact was made at 11:30 am in when the aircraft was 60 km North of Tezpur in Assam. Tezpur Air force station is located 172 km from the China border.
The plane took off around 9:30 am and went missing near Doulasang area of Arunachal Pradesh, which is a border area adjoining China and is marked by dense forests.
The aircraft was on a routine training mission when it first lost all radio and radar contact and then went missing. Search and rescue teams are currently deployed, according to IAF sources.