Families of missing Coast Guard Dornier aircraft crew search mangrove forests

CHENNAI/CUDDALORE: The families of the crew of a Coast Guard Dornier aircraft which went missing on June 8 have ventured into the mangrove forests of Pichavaram in Cuddalore District in Tamil Nadu on board a vessel, searching for their dear ones.

"The families of Vidyasagar and Soni are themselves searching the Pichavaram mangrove forests, with Soni's wife calling out the name of her husband from a vessel that also had officials," a local TV Channel reported today.

The CG plane along with three crew members Pilot Deputy Commandant Vidyasagar, Co-pilot Deputy Commandant M K Soni and Navigator Deputy Commandant Subash Suresh went missing on June 8.

The plane went missing after a routine maritime surveillance sortie along coastal Tamil Nadu somewhere near the Cuddalore-Karaikal coastline where the Pichavaram mangrove forests are also located.

The sight of the family members desperately looking for their loved ones was a poignant and moving experience for the officials too, the Puthiya Thalaimurai channel said.

"They will come home for sure, we have faith in search operations," the channel quoting a grief struck family member of the missing crew as saying.

The massive search operations had involved aircraft and ships of the Coast Guard, a Navy Submarine and a survey vessel centred around the Cuddalore-Karaikkal coastline region including the mangrove forest area.

Paramotors, divers engaged by the Coastal Security Group of the Tamil Nadu police also undertook extensive search.

Also, an NIOT research vessel Sagar Nidhi and later Reliance Industries' "Olympic Canyon" vessel equipped with echo sounder and a remotely operated underwater camera joined the search.

The search operations that began by late night on June 8, is still on.

Meanwhile, a geologist in Cuddalore told PTI that the sea belt of Cuddalore-Chidambaram location where the aircraft is believed to have gone missing has sandy clay, sand stone clay and huge mountain like slush clay that can pose a challenge.

Sabhi Ahamed, now working as a captain of a Merchant Naval Ship at Paris, said he has also discussed the matter with the local coastal guard and port officials.

Meanwhile, in a statement here, the Coast Guard said the Reliance vessel, "Olympic Canyon" has departed from the search area after carrying out searches till June 23.

"No significant lead could however be established. The vessel (Olymic Canyon) has departed from the area," it said.

The Naval submarine, INS Sindhudhwaj resumed operations to locate the missing aircraft based on fresh inputs provided by the Naval Operations Data Analysis Centre (NODPAC) regarding seabed conditions, CG said.

"In addition, Coast Guard and Naval ships and aircraft continue to search for the debris, float sum of the missing aircraft."

Now named, "Operation Talash," Coast Guard continued with its search for the 19th day today.

"A total of 205 hours have been flown so far by the Coast Guard and Navy aircraft towards the search, in addition to the surface efforts," it said.

Also, families of the missing crew are being provided with regular updates about the ongoing search efforts.