Navy to join search for missing trainer aircraft in Jharkhand

Indian Navy personnel arrive with rescue mission equipments for launching a search operation to trace missing trainer aircraft and both pilots at Chandil Dam, in Ranchi, Thursday, August 22
| Photo Credit: PTI

A team of the Indian Navy was set to join the search for the trainer aircraft that went missing with a pilot and a trainee shortly after it took off from an aerodrome in Jharkhand’s Jamshedpur, officials said on Thursday (August 22, 2024).

As the search continued in the reservoir of the Chandil dam, where it was suspected to have crashed on Tuesday (August 20, 2024), a body was found floating this morning, they said.

The 19-member Navy team along with equipment reached Ranchi around 12.50 a.m.

“The Navy team from Visakhapatnam landed in Ranchi to extend help for the search operation of the trainer aircraft. It has reached Jamshedpur and is set to join the search operation,” an official said.

Another official of the Seraikela-Kharsawan administration, who did not wish to be identified, said, “A body was found floating in the dam in the morning. His identification is being done.” From the uniform on the body, it was suspected to be of one of the two persons on board the aircraft, he said.

It was suspected that the plane, which had pilot Captain Jeetu Sutaru and trainee pilot Subrodeep on board, crashed into the dam’s reservoir.

On Wednesday (August 21, 2024), a six-member team of NDRF searched the reservoir for hours.

The aircraft, a Cessna 152 owned by Alchemist Aviation, took off from the Sonari aerodrome around 11 a.m. on Tuesday(August 20, 2024).

The reservoir was being searched after villagers claimed the aircraft crashed into it, Superintendent of Police (Seraikela-Kharsawan) Mukesh Kumar Lunayat said.

East Singhbhum’s Deputy Commissioner Ananya Mittal had said the last location of the aircraft was near Nimdih in Chandil sub-division as per the Air Traffic Control.

Searches were also being conducted in areas near Nimdih, and the adjacent Purulia district of West Bengal to locate the aircraft.