After Failed Search For AN-32 In Bay Of Bengal In 2016, IAF And Navy Aircraft Now Equipped With Underwater Beacon

After the failure to locate a Indian Air Force (IAF) AN-32 transport aircraft that went missing in the Bay of Bengal in 2016 with 29 people on board, planes and helicopters operated by the armed forces will now carry a underwater locator beacon that will provide an electronic signal at a particular frequency for up to a month, reports Sputniknews.

This will ensure any plane or helicopter that goes missing at sea can be located.

The AN-32 transport aircraft that went down in Bay of Bengal was not equipped with an underwater locator beacon. Even the combined effort of the IAF, Indian Navy, and Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) failed to locate the Plane.

Minister of State for Defence, Shripad Naik said “we failed to generate any concrete evidence with respect to the missing IAF AN-32 aircraft despite the deployment of massive resources in the Indian Ocean.”

The Indian Coast Guard in 2015 also lost an aircraft in mysterious circumstances in the Bay of Bengal.

Naik also said “All transport aircraft and helicopters of the Indian Air Force undertaking maritime operations over Andaman and Nicobar area of Bay of Bengal have now been equipped with Underwater Locating Beacon (ULB).”