Cabinet Secretary reviews search operations of missing chopper in Arunachal Pradesh

NEW DELHI: With no trace of the missing Pawan Hans helicopter in Arunachal Pradesh for fifth day, the Centre today directed that all available human and technical inputs, including satellite imagery, be deployed to locate the chopper and its three occupants.

Cabinet Secretary Pradeep Kumar Sinha reviewed the ongoing search operations of the missing chopper with two pilots and Tirap Deputy Commissioner Kamlesh Kumar Joshi onboard in Arunachal Pradesh.

The Cabinet Secretary has directed that all available technical (including satellite imagery) and human inputs must be deployed by both the state and central government to locate the missing officers and the helicopter, an official statement said.

Earlier, Union Home Secretary L C Goyal also reviewed the search operations at a high level review meeting with state and central government agencies involved with the search operation.

The meeting was attended by the Defence Secretary, the Telecom Secretary and senior officers of Arunachal Pradesh government and Ministries of External Affairs, armed forces and central intelligence and security agencies.

The Dauphin chopper of state-run Pawan Hans went missing with Tirap DC and two pilots - Captain M S Brar and Captain Rajeev Hoskote after it took-off from Khonsa in Tirap district at around 10.45 am on August 4.

The Director General of Civil Aviation has ordered a preliminary inquiry into the incident, while Pawan Hans authorities deputed teams from New Delhi and Guwahati and ordered an internal inquiry.

The district administration has also announced incentives for villagers engaged in the search.