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http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/russia-could-not-locate-antonov-32-aircraft/1/731491.html
It is how the best of relationships work. Promptly, quietly and with determination. And it is not very often that the time-tested relationship between India and Russia has failed in delivering. One such moment, of asking, trying and failing, unfortunately, arrived this week.
PRE-PLANNED REQUEST
While arriving in India for a 'pre-planned' request the nature of which was kept confidential, Russian Navy's rescue ship Igor Belousov was asked by the Indian Navy (IN) to lend help in locating the missing Russian-origin Antonov 32 aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF).
Those aware of the matter informed that the Russian Navy agreed to the request and diverted the ship accordingly. "We had the Russian Navy vessel spend over 12 hours in the surface search zone looking out for the An32 but sadly could not locate a thing. It was very kind of them to agree but nothing came of it and then they proceeded towards Vishakhapatnam, as was the original plan," said a source.
India, as a practice, avoids seeking foreign support in missions involving search and rescue as well as financial support. There have been a few exceptions. Said a source associated with last year's search effort to locate a crashed Dornier of the Indian Coast Guard (ICG), "While we did seek support from other countries, we deliberately kept the tone down.
It was not something to discuss too much about. We'd largely pretend to have everything in-house," said an retired officer who did not wish to be quoted. Reportedly, it was in the aftermath of the December 2004 tsunami that the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh rejected bilateral assistance. Ever since, as a mark of its growing clout, India has emerged as a donor.
Explaining the decision to seek Russian help, an officer explained, "This ship is a brand new ship used for emergency response, search and rescue as well as salvage of crew in distressed ships and submarines. It has equipment which can be sent down to 700m and submersibles which can lift objects from the bottom of the floor." The search authorities have maintained that they suspect the aircraft to have crashed in an area where the ocean bed is at 3500m.
THE SEARCH CONTINUES
A release issued by the IN said the Russian ship was to spend four days with the Eastern Naval Command (ENC). It also added that the visit of ship and the 'senior Russian Navy delegation' will witness "interaction between personnel of both the Navies in various professional, cultural, social and sports events."
The ship will depart on August 6. On the first day, the Captain 1st Rank Maksim S Allikin, the head of the delegation and Captain 3rd Rank Alexey
Nekhodtsev, Commanding Officer of the Igor Belousov met Rear Admiral SV Bhokare, Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Fleet and Rear Admiral Sanjay Mahindru, Flag Officer Submarines.
(Photo: Jugal Purohit)
What has made the effort more challenging is the absence of critical underwater locator aids. As was reported first by INDIA TODAY, the An32 unlike maritime planes and modern aircraft lacks any device which can help the authorities once underwater. It even lacks modern search aids. Following the report, the IAF had admitted the flaw and said an effort had already begun to equip planes especially those flying over sea with locators which can work even underwater.
With efforts not yielding, the search authorities are now banking on vessels from National Institute of Ocean Technology and Geological Survey of India. Both Sagar Nidhi and Samudra Ratnakar, belonging to NIOT and GSI respectively are expected to arrive in the search area by the end of the week.
The An32 went missing after it took off from Chennai on the morning on July 22. While it was land at Port Blair by 1130hrs, it did not report even by 1225hours and thus began the search.
It is how the best of relationships work. Promptly, quietly and with determination. And it is not very often that the time-tested relationship between India and Russia has failed in delivering. One such moment, of asking, trying and failing, unfortunately, arrived this week.
PRE-PLANNED REQUEST
While arriving in India for a 'pre-planned' request the nature of which was kept confidential, Russian Navy's rescue ship Igor Belousov was asked by the Indian Navy (IN) to lend help in locating the missing Russian-origin Antonov 32 aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF).
Those aware of the matter informed that the Russian Navy agreed to the request and diverted the ship accordingly. "We had the Russian Navy vessel spend over 12 hours in the surface search zone looking out for the An32 but sadly could not locate a thing. It was very kind of them to agree but nothing came of it and then they proceeded towards Vishakhapatnam, as was the original plan," said a source.
India, as a practice, avoids seeking foreign support in missions involving search and rescue as well as financial support. There have been a few exceptions. Said a source associated with last year's search effort to locate a crashed Dornier of the Indian Coast Guard (ICG), "While we did seek support from other countries, we deliberately kept the tone down.
It was not something to discuss too much about. We'd largely pretend to have everything in-house," said an retired officer who did not wish to be quoted. Reportedly, it was in the aftermath of the December 2004 tsunami that the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh rejected bilateral assistance. Ever since, as a mark of its growing clout, India has emerged as a donor.
Explaining the decision to seek Russian help, an officer explained, "This ship is a brand new ship used for emergency response, search and rescue as well as salvage of crew in distressed ships and submarines. It has equipment which can be sent down to 700m and submersibles which can lift objects from the bottom of the floor." The search authorities have maintained that they suspect the aircraft to have crashed in an area where the ocean bed is at 3500m.
THE SEARCH CONTINUES
A release issued by the IN said the Russian ship was to spend four days with the Eastern Naval Command (ENC). It also added that the visit of ship and the 'senior Russian Navy delegation' will witness "interaction between personnel of both the Navies in various professional, cultural, social and sports events."
The ship will depart on August 6. On the first day, the Captain 1st Rank Maksim S Allikin, the head of the delegation and Captain 3rd Rank Alexey
Nekhodtsev, Commanding Officer of the Igor Belousov met Rear Admiral SV Bhokare, Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Fleet and Rear Admiral Sanjay Mahindru, Flag Officer Submarines.
What has made the effort more challenging is the absence of critical underwater locator aids. As was reported first by INDIA TODAY, the An32 unlike maritime planes and modern aircraft lacks any device which can help the authorities once underwater. It even lacks modern search aids. Following the report, the IAF had admitted the flaw and said an effort had already begun to equip planes especially those flying over sea with locators which can work even underwater.
With efforts not yielding, the search authorities are now banking on vessels from National Institute of Ocean Technology and Geological Survey of India. Both Sagar Nidhi and Samudra Ratnakar, belonging to NIOT and GSI respectively are expected to arrive in the search area by the end of the week.
The An32 went missing after it took off from Chennai on the morning on July 22. While it was land at Port Blair by 1130hrs, it did not report even by 1225hours and thus began the search.
