IAF Finds Wreckage of AN-32 Military Transport Aircraft

Wreckage of the AN-32 military transport aircraft belonging to the Indian Air Force (IAF) that went missing on June 3 has been found crashed in the north east Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh.

“The wreckage of the missing An-32 was spotted today 16 Kms North of Lipo, North East of Tato at an approximate elevation of 12000 ft by the IAF Mi-17 Helicopter undertaking search in the expanded search zone,” the IAF said in a statement Tuesday afternoon.

"Efforts are now continuing to establish the status of occupants & establish survivors. Further details will be communicated as the recovery actions progress," the IAF said.

The aircraft carrying 13 persons on board lost contact with ground control at 1pm on June 3. It took off from the Jorhat airbase in Assam and was heading to the Mechuka Advanced Landing Ground, located in Mechuka Valley in Arunachal Pradesh. 

The country had deployed Sukhoi-30 fighters, C-130J aircraft, AN-32 planes, Mi-17 choppers and Advanced Light Helicopters (ALH) to look for the missing aircraft.