CSG, fishermen join search operation

The Coastal Security Group of the Tamil Nadu Police has joined the search operations to trace CG 791 along the coasts of Nagapattinam and Cuddalore districts and Karaikal of the Union Territory of Puducherry.

Acting swiftly on an alert received before the crack of dawn on Tuesday, the CSG of Nagapattinam zone deployed its 12-tonne Fast Interceptor Boat (FIB) to carry out the search operations between Nagapattinam and towards its northern direction.

Simultaneously, CSG personnel kept the fishermen associations of the coastal places, including Thirumullaivasal, Poompuhar and Nagore, informed about the missing aircraft and asked them to alert in case they noticed any strange object floating in the mid-sea.

Around 200 police personnel, who were ready for Operation Hamla, a mock drill to check the efficacy of security agencies in the event of an exigency from 5 am at Puducherry, were deployed immediately after the drill was called off.

The police personnel combed the vast area of Pichavaram mangrove forest and coastal areas for several hours on boats of the Forest Department.

A Coast Guard official said messages were communicated over radio and other modes to the fishermen.

Sources added the operation would continue with boats, ships and aircraft through the night from south of Chennai to Point Calimere.

Although the missing aircraft was not equipped with the advanced ADS-B (Automatic Dependent Surveillance – Broadcast) facility, the Tiruchi Air Traffic Control was able to monitor its movement for some time on Monday late night.

This was due to the radar data sent from the Chennai international airport to the Tiruchi airport where it is integrated into the air traffic automation system.

6.15pm

CG791 aircraft takes off

9.01pm

Last contact with aircraft

9.23pm

Aircraft missing from radars

9.23pm & 10.45pm

Attempts to contact aircraft fail

10.45pm

Air traffic control raises overdue procedure

after 10.45pm

operations room activated

12.00pm

Another dornier leaves for the last known site

5.40am

Dornier completes search

6.00am

Indian navy's P91 surveilance aircaraft takes off from Arakkonam

1.45pm

Another P81 replaces the aircraft that commenced search at 6am

The same information was available with the radar controller in Chennai, the sources said.

The Tiruchi air traffic controller was able to monitor the aircraft 106 nautical miles north-east of Tiruchi air space on Monday night before it went missing, the sources said, adding that this proved to be a valuable piece of information to carry out the search operations.