AI plane from London diverted as passenger taken ill

A medical emergency onboard a Mumbai-bound Air India aircraft from London forced the aviation authorities to divert the flight to Baku airport in Azerbaijan.
Air India flight AI 130 with 229 people on board made an emergency landing at Baku's Heyder Aliyev International Airport, a source said.
The Boeing Dreamliner (B787-800) aircraft was on its way to Mumbai when the pilot sought diversion of the aircraft from Air Traffic Control to provide medical assistance to a sick patient on board, the source said.
The flight had departed from London's Heathrow Airport yesterday at 1900 hours and was scheduled to arrive at Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport at 0400 hours this morning.

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Elaborating about underwater search, Bargotra said it was

not simple like surface search as the exact position will have to be known for it.
He said "when we go for underwater search, we will start from the position that was last reported," adding, under ocean search cannot be done in a vast area as being done now for surface search.
"Aerial search is extended to almost 60,000 square nautical miles and surface search to 14,400 square nautical miles but underwater search will be limited," he said.
To a query, Bargotra said the earlier search was undertaken on a 120/120 nautical miles East of Chennai coast and now had been expanded.

"Only if you have the exact position, the vessels can be deployed and this is the reason they are not being deployed now. Of course the submarine from Navy is deployed."
"One more submarine from NIOT (National Institute of Ocean Technology) is on the way from Mauritius. It is expected to join the search once it reaches India," he said.
Asked on whether the vessel owned by Reliance Industries would be joining the operations as it had helped in the search of Dornier air craft last year, he said, "We are definitely seeking the help of private and government agencies when the time comes for underwater search. As of now, we will not ask the private agency."

Asked if help from foreign countries has been sought, he said,"We have enough resources for conducting the search. As of now we have not sought any help from any other country."
To a query on the limitations faced in the search and rescue operations, he said, the weather was one factor as it was not good over the last four days.
On support from agencies like ISRO and INCOIS, he said, "INCOIS will study the ocean currents as it becomes important in situations like this.
"As regard ISRO, we have requested them to provide a satellite for search operations and I think they are on to it right now," he said.

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Meanwhile, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar spoke to the parents of Flight Lieutenant Deepika Sheoran and Flying Officer Co-pilot Pankaj Nandal, who hail from Haryana.
The two were on board among the AN-32 aircraft.
Khattar said his government is in constant touch with the authorities involved in the search and rescue operation.
He also prayed for the safe return of all those on board.