The News Freedom
New Delhi, January 12
The wreckage of an Indian Air Force An-32 aircraft missing for over seven years has been potentially identified on the seabed of the Bay of Bengal, offering closure to a long-unsolved mystery. Twenty-nine personnel were on board this flight.
The National Institute of Ocean Technology deployed an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) at the last known location of the missing An-32 (K-2743) in July 2016. Operating at depths of 3,400 meters, the AUV captured images using sonar and high-resolution photography.
The Initial analysis of the images revealed debris consistent with a crashed aircraft on the seabed, approximately 310 kilometers off the Chennai coast. Further scrutiny indicated the debris closely matched the An-32, with no reports of other missing aircraft in the area.
The AUV deployment marks the latest effort in an extensive search that spanned years and involved multiple agencies. Aircraft, ships, and underwater search crews tirelessly scoured the Bay of Bengal in the aftermath of the disappearance.