C Shivakumar
Chennai:
The services of Russian Navy Ship Igor Belousov to help find Indian Air Force transport aircraft AN-32 that went missing on July 22 was taken while it was on its way for a ‘goodwill’ visit to Visakhapatnam.
The ship which was inducted in the Russian Navy's Pacific Ocean Fleet search-and-rescue force in November 2015 was capable of undertaking rescue operations at deep ocean.
It is learnt that the ship has underwater communication systems, navigation complex, search equipment, as well as hydrological measuring equipment.
The navigation suite comprises automatic navigation system, sonar, hydro-acoustic navigation system, navigational radar, and hydro-meteorological support systems.
Sources told Express that the ship did carry out search and rescue operations but the search did not yield anything. It is learnt that the vessel has Bester-1 deep submergence rescue vehicle, designed by the Lazurit Central Design Bureau, for improved rescue capability. However, it has its limitations as the rescue vehicle could go up to a depth of 700 metres. The depth where the aircraft would have gone missing is believed to be 3,500 metres.
The equipment of Russian naval ship was tested, said sources. Currently, the search of the aircraft is being undertaken at a stretch of 1,800 kilometre and at that vastness without any idea of where the aircraft has fallen, it is difficult to conduct search and rescue operation.
It seems now the onus again rests on Geological Survey of India ship Samudra Ratnakar which is likely to join the search and rescue operation possibly in next couple of days. Similarly, National Institute of Technology vessel Sagarnidhi is likely to join operation by the end of this week
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