Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Dorjee Khandu remains traceless for the third day after the helicopter he was aboard went missing 20 minutes after it was airborne from Tawang on Saturday. However, with satellite imagery inputs from Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) the “probable location” of the site where the helicopter might have landed or crashed could be zeroed in today.
“The whereabouts of chief minister is still unknown. Based on inputs from ISRO, we could zero in on the probable location and by tomorrow afternoon we are hopeful to the reach that spot,” said Jarbom Gamlin, spokesperson of Arunachal Pradesh government to Business Standard.
The “probable location” is near the Sela Pass, which is at a height of 3,700 ft above sea level, and the area is very mountainous and hazardous. “The area is so hazardous that it might take even an hour to travel one kilometre by search parties,” added Gamlin.
Today search operations were underway along Indo-Bhutan border but inclement weather and inhospitable mountainous terrains acted as impediments. Air force has pressed in service two Sukhoi-30 aircrafts, in addition to Mi-17 helicopters to undertake aerial search operations.
Gamlin said that nearly 2,500 army personnel have been pressed on the ground to undertake the search operation. However, thick clouds
Though search operation on the ground would continue throughout the night, aerial operation has been suspended in the evening and will resume in the morning.
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The Pawan Hans AS350 B-3 helicopter, which was carrying the chief minister and four others, went missing after it took off from Tawang at 9.50 am on Saturday. The incident comes close on the heels of an accident on April 19 when a helicopter, travelling from Guwahati to Tawang, crashed killing 17 on board.
State governments of Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya have meanwhile suspended the services of Pawan Hans helicopters through the state. Union ministers Mukul Wasnik and V Narayansami are presently camping in Itanagar to monitor the search operation.