Even as the defence forces widened their search for the AN-32 aircraft of the Indian Air Force that went missing on Friday, thousands of residents of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands prayed and hoped for the safe return of all the crew members and passengers.
Family members of those who went missing from Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu were devastated by the news but some expressed the hope that the aircraft would be found.
Search widened Sources in the Andaman and Nicobar Command confirmed on Saturday that the search area had been widened from 50 nm X 50 nm (nautical miles) to 75 nm X 75 nm.
Col. Yogesh Sharma, Public Relations Officer of the Andaman Nicobar Command, confirmed on Saturday that no debris or survivors had been spotted by the ships and aircraft of the Coast Guard, the Navy and the Air Force. “The Eastern Naval Command is coordinating the search operations and the Andaman and Nicobar Command is giving all required support. Our Ship INS Karmukh is already in the search area,” Col Sharma added. The search operation continued during Friday night.
‘No technical fault’ The aircraft had no technical fault, Col. Sharma said. No aircraft was allowed to fly unless it was 100 per cent airworthy.
According to reports, the aircraft reported pressure leak from Port door on July 14, Hydraulic leak from Port Wing Root on July 7 and ‘Throttle movement sluggish’ on July 2.
It has been confirmed that Aircraftman Raghubir Verma of Andaman was on board the aircraft.
Raghubir Verma, posted in Rajasthan, was returning home on Friday. The last message on Facebook post by him says: “Proceeding on leave going to home #Port Blair”.
Relatives gathered at his house to comfort his parents. “I have 100 per cent faith that my son and all other passengers of the aircraft will come back safe,” said Lucky Chand, father of Raghubir and a policeman. Some other relatives of Ragubir demanded a helpline number which they could contact for an update on the search operation.
R. Muthukrishnan (37), one of the missing crew members, belongs to Thoothukudi in Tamil Nadu. A native of Sembur village, Muthukrishnan is employed as Pradhan Navik, Indian Coast Guard, Port Blair. He has been working in the ICG for about 15 years. His parents and relatives at the village were shocked by the incident.
News of the missing plane shattered the family members of Vimal Vasudevan, 30, and Sajeev Kumar, 38, natives of Kozhikode who were on board the plane. While Vimal Vasudevan’s relatives managed to convey the seriousness of the incident to his mother and wife, Sajeev Kumar’s parents are finding it difficult to admit the fact. “The flight may have been hijacked by unknown forces or it may have crash-landed somewhere. He is safe and I am praying, along with you all,” said Rajan, father of Naval officer Sajeev Kumar.
Inconsolable Family members of Yekanath Shetty (48) from Kuvettu village in the Belthangady Taluk of Dakshina Kannada district, were inconsolable as they received the news about his presence on the missing aircraft. Jayanthi Shetty, his wife, told reporters that her husband had left home on July 16 after completing a 10-day leave. Yekanath’s father Krishna Shetty too was with the defence forces.
Naidu meets kin Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Saturday visited the houses of Nammi Chinna Rao and Paati Nagendra Rao, two of the eight employees of the Naval Armament Depot (NAD) on board An-32. He assured them that the search by the Navy and the CG would continue till the aircraft was found.
The missing personnel of NAD were heading to Port Blair for routine repair and maintenance work.
(With inputs from Visakhapatnam, Kozhikode, Thoothukudi and Mangaluru)
