IAF’s Sukhoi 30 aircraft goes missing near Tezpur in Assam: Reports

Indian Air Force’s (IAF) Sukhoi-30 aircraft that was on a routine training mission has gone missing. There are two pilots reportedly on board the aircraft. Search operations are underway. The aircraft took off at 9 am on Tuesday morning and lost contact 60 kms from Tezpur in Assam.

While the officials are making efforts to search for the missing plane, the turbulent weather condition in the area is hampering the relief and rescue operations. The area from which the aircraft went missing is in a mountainous terrain. It is also close to the China border.

As per the initial reports, the last contact was made with the aircraft at about 11:30 am in Lakhimpur.

Su-30 aircraft on a routine training mission goes missing, lost radar 60 Km North of Tezpur: IAF Sources pic.twitter.com/R6vzxjkOHi

— ANI (@ANI_news) May 23, 2017

The incident comes months after a Sukhoi-30 MKI fighter aircraft crashed in Shivkar Kudla village in Rajasthan’s Barmer district, leaving three villagers injured. Sonitpur district Deputy Commissioner Manoj Kumar Deka told the media that he immediately informed the neighbouring district administrations soon after the plane went missing from the airbase.

The Sukhoi Su-30 aircraft used by the Indian Air force is a twin-engine fighter that is made for to cater to all-weather, air-to-air and air-to-surface missions. The IAF had used the aircraft for the first time in the late 1990s.