Seventeen fishermen were missing Saturday after an Indian trawler sank off the coast of Bangladesh, officials said, sparking a major search effort in the Bay of Bengal. 
 
Two Bangladesh Navy ships and a patrol aircraft were deployed after a distress signal was sent from a ship travelling with the sunken fishing boat, called Maha Gouri, a Navy official told AFP speaking on condition of anonymity. 
 
&quot;The fishing trawler sank in the Bay of Bengal just 40 nautical miles (70 kilometres) north of Hiron Point in the Sundarbans,&quot; the official said. 
 
He said waters were choppy Saturday afternoon when the distress call was sent. 
 
Another official confirmed the number of missing after the boat sank in the Bay of Bengal, the world&#39;s largest bay. 
 
&quot;Seventeen fishermen were missing after the trawler sank today,&quot; Tapushi Rabeya, a Defence Ministry spokesman, told AFP. 
 
Sundarbans is the world&#39;s largest mangrove forest that straddles the India-Bangladesh border and the Hiron Point docking station is popular among both fishermen and tourists. 
 
(AFP)

Two Bangladesh Navy ships and a patrol aircraft were deployed after a distress signal was sent from a ship

Seventeen fishermen were missing Saturday after an Indian trawler sank off the coast of Bangladesh, officials said, sparking a major search effort in the Bay of Bengal. Two Bangladesh Navy ships and a patrol aircraft were deployed after a distress signal was sent from a ship travelling with the sunken fishing boat, called Maha Gouri, a Navy official told AFP speaking on condition of anonymity. "The fishing trawler sank in the Bay of Bengal just 40 nautical miles (70 kilometres) north of Hiron Point in the Sundarbans," the official said. He said waters were choppy Saturday afternoon when the distress call was sent. Another official confirmed the number of missing after the boat sank in the Bay of Bengal, the world's largest bay. "Seventeen fishermen were missing after the trawler sank today," Tapushi Rabeya, a Defence Ministry spokesman, told AFP. Sundarbans is the world's largest mangrove forest that straddles the India-Bangladesh border and the Hiron Point docking station is popular among both fishermen and tourists. (AFP)

17 missing after Indian trawler sinks off Bangladesh

Indian Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said on Wednesday (July 27) some objects were located during the search for its missing military plane that disappeared into the Bay of Bengal after taking off from the southern city of Chennai with 29 people on board. 
 
The Indian Air Force (IAF) plane carrying 21 military personnel, six crew members and two civilians - was on its way to Port Blair, the capital of India&#39;s Andaman and Nicobar islands, when it disappeared from radar on Friday (July 22). 
 
Speaking to reporters after a function in southern Rameswaram town, Parrikar said it was yet to be confirmed if the located objects were that of the missing plane. 
 
&quot;There is no confirmed report of anything but there are some objects located. The ships have been asked to verify them and unless something is positively located, it cannot be confirmed. As of now it is only indicated. We are not leaving anything to chances. So, we have asked ship to check up,&quot; Parrikar said. 
 
Numerous ships, submarines and aircrafts are involved in extensive search for the plane that disappeared on a routine re-supply flight over the Bay of Bengal. 
 
The aircraft was last detected on radar 151 nautical miles east of Chennai, making a left turn with a rapid loss of height from 23,000 ft, according to a note provided by the air force to the Defence Ministry. 
 
The AN-32 is a workhorse of the air force, chosen for its ability to operate from short runways. 
 
The air force has 101 of the AN-32s that entered service in 1984 and have gone through mid-life upgrades and life extensions since then 
 
(Reuters) 
&nbsp;

Indian Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said he has asked the ships to verify the located objects before confirming the findings

Indian Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said on Wednesday (July 27) some objects were located during the search for its missing military plane that disappeared into the Bay of Bengal after taking off from the southern city of Chennai with 29 people on board. The Indian Air Force (IAF) plane carrying 21 military personnel, six crew members and two civilians - was on its way to Port Blair, the capital of India's Andaman and Nicobar islands, when it disappeared from radar on Friday (July 22). Speaking to reporters after a function in southern Rameswaram town, Parrikar said it was yet to be confirmed if the located objects were that of the missing plane. "There is no confirmed report of anything but there are some objects located. The ships have been asked to verify them and unless something is positively located, it cannot be confirmed. As of now it is only indicated. We are not leaving anything to chances. So, we have asked ship to check up," Parrikar said. Numerous ships, submarines and aircrafts are involved in extensive search for the plane that disappeared on a routine re-supply flight over the Bay of Bengal. The aircraft was last detected on radar 151 nautical miles east of Chennai, making a left turn with a rapid loss of height from 23,000 ft, according to a note provided by the air force to the Defence Ministry. The AN-32 is a workhorse of the air force, chosen for its ability to operate from short runways. The air force has 101 of the AN-32s that entered service in 1984 and have gone through mid-life upgrades and life extensions since then (Reuters)

India locates objects during search for missing IAF plane

An Indian Air Force plane carrying 29 military personnel to a remote island chain in the Bay of Bengal went missing on Friday, the military said.&nbsp;The AN-32 was on its way to Port Blair, the capital of the Andaman and Nicobar chain of islands, from the southeast city of Chennai when it disappeared from radar. 
 
A navy spokesman told Reuters surveillance planes and ships were searching for the aircraft. It was carrying service personnel to the strategic islands near the Malacca Straits, where India has a military base. 
 
The last contact with the plane, which was carrying six crew members, was made around 15 minutes after take-off from the southern Indian city of Chennai, air force spokesman told AFP. 
 
The Navy has pressed into service two Dornier aircraft and 13 ships with the Eastern Fleet Commander on board for the search and rescue operation 200 knot mile from east of Chennai.&nbsp; 
 
While IAF has pressed into service a C130 plane along with two AN32, the Navy has deployed two P8i maritime surveillance and anti-submarine warfare aircraft from the strategically important Port Blair. 
 
Navy spokesperson Captain D K Sharma said, &quot;Navy has been deployed in full force in the Bay of Bengal for the search and rescue operation&quot;.&nbsp; 
 
Meanwhile, Coast Guard said their reconnaissance Dornier aircraft has reached the site from where the IAF plane had sent the signals for the last time. 
 
&quot;Our Dornier (plane) has reached the site where the signals were sent by the (IAF) aircraft for the last time. We are looking for clues,&quot; said a senior Coast Guard official. 
 
Coast Guard has rushed four ships--ICGS Sagar and Samudra Pehredar from Chennai and ICGS Rajshree and ICGS Rajveer from Port Blair--to the spot. 
 
Another ships ICGS Vishwasth has been on stand-by at Prot Blair. 
 
&quot;The ships should reach the spot by night. But the rough sea is making the operations difficult,&quot; the official added.&nbsp; 
 
Ministry of defence statement 
&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Full scale Search &amp; Rescue launched to look for IAF AN 32 overdue at Port Blair since 1130 hrs. Max assets being deployed at earliest.
&mdash; DPR (@SpokespersonMoD) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpokespersonMoD/status/756411001768140800">July 22, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="~/platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script> 
&quot;A search operation is on. The plane was airborne at 8:30 am (0300 GMT)and was supposed to land at Port Blair at 11:30,&quot; Wing Commander Anupam Banerjee said. 
 
Defence sources said the plane was at about 23,000 feet when the last contact was established. 
 
Known as the &#39;Sutlej&#39; in the IAF, the An-32 is the workhorse of the transport fleet travelling to far-off bases such as Leh, Thoise, Kargil, other northern high-altitude areas in Ladakh and a number of ALGs (Advanced Landing Grounds) such as Mechuka, Along, Walong and Vijaynagar in the eastern sector in Arunachal Pradesh and adjoining areas to deliver much-needed supplies to the Army outposts. In the recent years, IAF&rsquo;s An-32s have expanded their operations by landing at more remote airstrips such as Nyoma and, even DBO (Daulat Beg Oldie) in Aksai Chin. 
 
(Agencies)&nbsp;

Four coast guard ships, a submarine and two Dornier aircraft deployed for search operations in Bay of Bengal

An Indian Air Force plane carrying 29 military personnel to a remote island chain in the Bay of Bengal went missing on Friday, the military said. The AN-32 was on its way to Port Blair, the capital of the Andaman and Nicobar chain of islands, from the southeast city of Chennai when it disappeared from radar. A navy spokesman told Reuters surveillance planes and ships were searching for the aircraft. It was carrying service personnel to the strategic islands near the Malacca Straits, where India has a military base. The last contact with the plane, which was carrying six crew members, was made around 15 minutes after take-off from the southern Indian city of Chennai, air force spokesman told AFP. The Navy has pressed into service two Dornier aircraft and 13 ships with the Eastern Fleet Commander on board for the search and rescue operation 200 knot mile from east of Chennai. While IAF has pressed into service a C130 plane along with two AN32, the Navy has deployed two P8i maritime surveillance and anti-submarine warfare aircraft from the strategically important Port Blair. Navy spokesperson Captain D K Sharma said, "Navy has been deployed in full force in the Bay of Bengal for the search and rescue operation". Meanwhile, Coast Guard said their reconnaissance Dornier aircraft has reached the site from where the IAF plane had sent the signals for the last time. "Our Dornier (plane) has reached the site where the signals were sent by the (IAF) aircraft for the last time. We are looking for clues," said a senior Coast Guard official. Coast Guard has rushed four ships--ICGS Sagar and Samudra Pehredar from Chennai and ICGS Rajshree and ICGS Rajveer from Port Blair--to the spot. Another ships ICGS Vishwasth has been on stand-by at Prot Blair. "The ships should reach the spot by night. But the rough sea is making the operations difficult," the official added. Ministry of defence statement Full scale Search & Rescue launched to look for IAF AN 32 overdue at Port Blair since 1130 hrs. Max assets being deployed at earliest. — DPR (@SpokespersonMoD) July 22, 2016 "A search operation is on. The plane was airborne at 8:30 am (0300 GMT)and was supposed to land at Port Blair at 11:30," Wing Commander Anupam Banerjee said. Defence sources said the plane was at about 23,000 feet when the last contact was established. Known as the 'Sutlej' in the IAF, the An-32 is the workhorse of the transport fleet travelling to far-off bases such as Leh, Thoise, Kargil, other northern high-altitude areas in Ladakh and a number of ALGs (Advanced Landing Grounds) such as Mechuka, Along, Walong and Vijaynagar in the eastern sector in Arunachal Pradesh and adjoining areas to deliver much-needed supplies to the Army outposts. In the recent years, IAF’s An-32s have expanded their operations by landing at more remote airstrips such as Nyoma and, even DBO (Daulat Beg Oldie) in Aksai Chin. (Agencies)

Search for Indian Air Force plane with 29 on board ongoing

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17 missing after Indian trawler sinks off Bangladesh

India locates objects during search for missing IAF plane

Search for Indian Air Force plane with 29 on board ongoing