Jharkhand Engages Navy in Hunt for Missing Training Aircraft

A training aircraft that went missing shortly after take-off from Sonari aerodrome in Jamshedpur on Tuesday remains unlocated, officials reported. The Seraikela-Kharswan district administration in Jharkhand has requested assistance from the Indian Navy to find the two-seater plane, Deputy Commissioner Ravi Shankar Shukla stated on Wednesday.

The aircraft, a Cessna 152 owned by Alchemist Aviation, departed from Sonari aerodrome at approximately 11 am on Tuesday. It is suspected to have crashed into Chandil dam in the district, carrying a pilot and a trainee pilot. Villagers claimed they saw an aircraft crash into the water body on Tuesday, according to Superintendent of Police Seraikela-Kharswan Mukesh Kumar Lunayat.

Search Operations Intensify

Earlier in the day, a six-member team from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) based in Ranchi conducted a search operation at Chandil dam for several hours. However, only a pair of shoes was found, as confirmed by Sub-Divisional Police Officer Chandil Sunil Kumar Rajwar. Official sources mentioned that help was sought from the Eastern Naval Command headquartered in Vishakhapatnam, with a team expected to commence search operations from Thursday.

East Singhbhum district Deputy Commissioner Ananya Mittal noted that the last known location of the aircraft was near Nimdih under Chandil sub-division, as tracked by the Air Traffic Control of Sonari aerodrome. A joint operation involving both district administrations and the Forest department was initiated in Nimdih and neighbouring Purulia district of West Bengal.

Efforts to Locate Missing Aircraft

The Seraikela-Kharswan district administration has sought assistance from the Indian Navy to locate the missing aircraft. Deputy Commissioner Ravi Shankar Shukla confirmed this request on Wednesday. The administration hopes that naval expertise will aid in finding the plane and its occupants.

The search efforts have been extensive but challenging. Despite several hours of searching by NDRF teams, no significant evidence has been found apart from a pair of shoes. The involvement of the Eastern Naval Command is anticipated to enhance the search operations significantly.

The missing aircraft incident has drawn considerable attention due to its mysterious disappearance shortly after take-off. Authorities are working tirelessly to uncover any clues that might lead to locating the plane and understanding what happened during its flight.

The collaborative efforts between various agencies underscore the seriousness of the situation and the commitment to resolving it promptly. The involvement of specialised teams highlights the complexity and urgency of finding the missing aircraft and ensuring safety protocols are reviewed to prevent future occurrences.