Missing AirAsia plane: Navy on standby mode

Bengaluru, Dec 28: The Indian Navy has put some of its best assets on the stand-by mode following the missing of AirAsia's Flight QZ8501 today morning.

Navy spokesperson Capt D K Sharma told OneIndia that one P8-I LRMRASW (Long Range Maritime Reconnaissance and Anti Submarine Warfare) aircraft has been put on a standby mode at the Arakkonam base.

He confirmed that one ship (OPV: Offshore Patrol Vessel) has been put to sea. "The OPV has already started its journey towards Port Blair from Chennai," Capt D K Sharma said.

In addition, he said two ships have been put on alert in Andaman, if the Navy gets any SOS calls for SAR (Search and Rescue) operations.

"No help has been sought so far. After seeing the gravity of the situation, the India Navy has immediately got on to mission mode," he said.

OneIndia News