New Delhi: The search operation for the Indian Air Force's (IAF) AN-32 aircraft - that has been missing since July 22 over the Bay of Bengal with 29 on board - entered third day on Sunday.
On Saturday, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar left for Chennai to monitor the massive search operation.
Ashutosh Singh, son of Bhupath Singh, who was also on the missing AN-32 plane, said, "I want to request all of you to pray for my father and all people on board. We are really worried about the fate of the aircraft. So far we have not received any news about its location."
He said, "My father told me that he will call after reaching Port Blair, but it never came. I want him to return home safely. We all are missing him."
Sangeeta, wife of another missing IAF officer said, "On that ill fated day, my husband called me in the morning and said that he will be flying to Port Blair. Around 1 pm, I got to news that his flight went missing. I pray to god for his safe return."
Defence sources said the search is in full swing and but no detection has been made till now.
The transport plane of the Indian Air Force with 29 people on board, including four officers, went missing on July 22 while flying from Chennai to Port Blair.
The AN-32 aircraft took off at 0830 hours from Tambaram in Chennai and the last contact with it was made 16 minutes later.
The aircraft can fly for up to four hours without refueling. A massive search and rescue operation has been launched by IAF, Navy and Coast Guard, deploying one submarine, eight aircraft and 13 ships for tracking the upgraded plane.
The 29 people on board the Air Force's workhorse for a long period included six crew members, two of them pilots and one navigator.
Besides, there were 11 personnel from the IAF including an officer, two from the Army, one from the Coast Guard and 9 from the navy which included some from its armament depot.
(With PTI inputs)
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