Signals from missing Coast Guard aircraft detected, sheen of oil sighted

Chennai:

In what could be a first major success for Indian Coastguard on the fifth day of search and rescue operations, Indian Navy’s Hydrographic survey vessel INS Sandhayak has picked up signal from the Dornier aircraft, that went missing with three crew members on Monday evening.


Coast Guard  said that Indian Navy’s submarine and Hydrographic survey vessel INS Sandhayak picked up signals from the aircraft’s Sonar Locating Beacon. The aircraft can transmit signals upto 30 days if under water.


“Indian Navy’s hydrographic survey vessel detected the intermittent transmission of 37.5KHZ signal from soar Locator Beacon of the missing aircraft. The transmission is around the position where the Air Traffic Control (ATC) Radar has lost contact of the aircraft.


Separately, a multi-coloured sheen of oil in concentric circles was sighted which indicated oozing of oil. The sample has been sent to the laboratory for analysis.


The Indian Coast Guard is positive on tracking the missing Dornier by Friday evening or by Saturday. The subsurface search by Indian Navy submarine INS Sindhudhwajj is likely to begin on Saturday evening at 7pm.


Meanwhile, National Institute of Technology has diverted its research vessel “Sagar Nidhi” which is likely to arrive for the search and rescue operations on Sunday.


Coastguard has also approached Reliance India Limited to extend services of the multi-support vessel (MSV) with remotely operated underwater ehicle (ROV) to undertake operations.


A total of 10 coastguard and Indian navy ships with two aircraft are undertaking the search for the missing aircraft, a coast guard release said.