After nearly eight years, the Ministry of Defence announced the discovery of the debris of the Indian Air Force An-32 aircraft that went missing over the Bay of Bengal on July 22, 2016. The aircraft, which disappeared during a routine weekly courier flight from Tambaram Air Force Station in Chennai to Port Blair in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, had 29 people on board, including crew members, IAF personnel, Indian Army soldiers, and defense civilians.

The debris was located approximately 140 nautical miles (about 310 km) from the Chennai coast at a depth of 3,400 meters, using an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle deployed by the National Institute of Ocean Technology. Multiple payloads, including a multi-beam SONAR, synthetic aperture SONAR, and high-resolution photography, were utilized for the search.

Despite extensive search operations launched in 2016 involving the Indian Air Force, Navy, and Coast Guard, the aircraft’s disappearance remained a mystery until now. The search included aircraft, ships, and submarines scanning the flight route.

The AN-32, a twin-engine turboprop, medium tactical transport aircraft of Russian origin, was a crucial part of the transport fleet, delivering supplies to army outposts. The confirmation of the debris discovery brings closure to the prolonged uncertainty surrounding the fate of the aircraft and its occupants.

By : Kruthiga V S

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