RonAgnew292842 at 22:13, 19 February 2026

2026-02-19T22:13:56Z

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{{Short description|2016 Aviation accident}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2025}}
{{Use Indian English|date=December 2025}}
{{Infobox aircraft occurrence
| name = 2016 Indian Air Force An-32 crash
| image = K2717 Antonov An.32 Indian Air Force (8414615752).jpg
| alt =
| caption = An Indian Air Force [[Antonov An-32]] similar to the ill-fated aircraft
| occurrence_type = Accident
| date = {{start date|2016|07|22|df=y}}
| summary = [[Water landing|Sea ditching]], cause undetermined
| site = [[Bay of Bengal]], India
| aircraft_type = [[Antonov An-32]]
| operator = {{air force|IND}}
| tail_number = K-2743
| origin = [[Tambaram Air Force Station]], [[Chennai]], India
| destination = [[Port Blair]], [[Andaman Islands]], India
| occupants = 29
| passengers = 23
| crew = 6
| fatalities = 29
| survivors = 0
}}

On 22 July 2016, an [[Antonov An-32]] twin engine [[turboprop]] transport aircraft of the [[Indian Air Force]] crashed while flying over the [[Bay of Bengal]]. The aircraft was en route from [[Tambaram Air Force Station]] in the city of [[Chennai]] on the western coastline of the Bay of Bengal to [[Port Blair]] in the [[Andaman and Nicobar Islands]]. There were 29 people on board. Radar contact with the aircraft was lost at 9:12{{nbsp}}am, {{convert|280|km|mi}} east of Chennai.<ref name="ie1">{{Cite web|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/iaf-an-32-aircraft-missing-air-force-snags-2929751/|title=IAF An-32 aircraft developed 3 snags in July alone|accessdate=2016-07-22|publisher=Indian Express}}</ref><ref name="BBC1">{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-36865297|title=India launches massive search operation for missing military plane|work=BBC News |date=22 July 2016 |accessdate=2016-07-22}}</ref> No trace of the aircraft was found in the immediate aftermath. The search and rescue operation became India's largest search operation ever for a missing plane on the sea.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ndtv.com/india-news/indias-biggest-search-ever-to-find-a-plane-that-crashed-in-the-sea-1443567|title=India's Biggest Search Ever To Find A Plane That Crashed In The Sea|publisher=|accessdate=2 December 2016}}</ref> In January 2024, wreckage discovered off the coast of Chennai was confirmed as belonging to the ill-fated aircraft, indicating it crashed into the sea with no survivors.<ref name="Wreckage found" />

The Indian Air Force has suffered other similar incidents, mainly involving Antonov An-32 aircraft in [[1986 Indian Air Force An-32 disappearance|1986]] and [[2019 Indian Air Force An-32 crash|2019]].

==Passengers==
There were 29 people on board the aircraft: six crew members; 11 [[Indian Air Force]] personnel; two [[Indian Army]] soldiers; one each from the [[Indian Navy]] and [[Indian Coast Guard]]; and eight defence civilians working with Naval Armament Depot (NAD).<ref name="ndtv1">{{Cite web|url=http://www.ndtv.com/india-news/indian-air-force-plane-with-over-25-on-board-goes-missing-1434708|title=Indian Air Force's AN-32 Plane With 29 Missing After 'Rapid Loss of Altitude'|accessdate=2016-07-22|publisher=NDTV}}</ref><ref name="fp1"/> The civilians were from [[Visakhapatnam]] in [[Andhra Pradesh]].<ref name="oi1">{{Cite web|url=http://www.oneindia.com/india/iaf-plane-with-29-on-board-missing-2160184.html|title=Updates: IAF AN-32 aircraft with 29 aboard missing, search on|accessdate=2016-07-22}}</ref>

==Accident and aftermath==

{{Location map many
| India
| width = tt6399
| float =
| border =
| caption = Origin and destination airports
| alt =
| relief =
| AlternativeMap =
| 
| label1 = Tambaram Air Force Station
| label1_size =
| position1 = bottom
| background1 =
| mark1 = City locator 9.svg
| mark1size = 10
| link1 =
| lat1_deg = 12
| lat1_min = 54
| lat1_sec = 19
| lat1_dir = N
| lon1_deg = 80
| lon1_min = 07
| lon1_sec = 17
| lon1_dir = E
| 
| label2 = Port Blair
| label2_size =
| position2 = bottom
| background2 =
| mark2 = City locator 9.svg
| mark2size = 10
| link2 =
| lat2_deg = 11
| lat2_min = 38
| lat2_sec = 49.7
| lat2_dir = N
| lon2_deg = 92
| lon2_min = 44
| lon2_sec = 05.5
| lon2_dir = E
}}
The Antonov An-32 took off from [[Tambaram Air Force Station]], [[Chennai]] at 08:30 [[UTC+5:30 | local time]] on 22 July 2016. It was expected to land in [[Port Blair]] around 11:45 local time. The [[Indian Navy]] and the Indian Coast Guard launched a large search and rescue operation, using a submarine, 12 surface vessels and five aircraft.<ref name="fp1">{{Cite web|url=http://www.firstpost.com/india/live-search-on-for-indian-air-force-plane-antonov-an-32-with-29-onboard-2908558.html|title=Indian Air Force plane Antonov AN-32 missing, 8 naval armaments personnel onboard|accessdate=2016-07-22|publisher=First Post}}</ref>

On the third day after the disappearance, 16 ships, a submarine and six aircraft were deployed to search for the missing An-32 in the Bay of Bengal, about 150 nautical miles east of Chennai.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Hunt-for-missing-Indian-Air-Force-plane-goes-into-third-day/articleshow/53363371.cms|title=Hunt for missing Indian Air Force plane goes into third day – Times of India|website=[[The Times of India]] |publisher=|accessdate=2 December 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/web-edits/indian-air-forces-an-32-plane-goes-missing-but-is-bad-weather-to-blame-2929826/|title=Indian Air Force AN-32 plane still missing: A pilot looks at what could have gone wrong|date=22 July 2016|publisher=|accessdate=2 December 2016}}</ref> On 1 August, it was confirmed that the aircraft had no [[underwater locator beacon]] (ULB).<ref name="indianexpress.com">{{cite web|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/missing-an-32-did-not-have-underwater-locator-beacon-2948880/|title=Missing IAF AN-32 aircraft did not have underwater locator beacon|date=2 August 2016|publisher=|accessdate=2 December 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thenewsminute.com/article/missing-32-plane-lack-underwater-locator-hindering-search-47471|title=Missing AN-32 plane: Lack of underwater locator hindering search|date=2 August 2016|publisher=|accessdate=2 December 2016}}</ref> It did have two [[Emergency position-indicating radiobeacon station|emergency locator transmitters]] (ELTs).<ref name="indianexpress.com"/>

On 15 September 2016, the search and rescue mission was called off; all 29 people on board were presumed dead and their families were notified.<ref name="it1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/ill-fated-an-32-onboard-survival-iaf-341189-2016-09-15|title=Exclusive: Those on board ill-fated AN-32 declared dead, IAF writes to family members|date=15 September 2016 |access-date=2016-09-15}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/web-edits/an-32-iaf-missing-search-operations-3033017/|title=AN-32 disaster must help indigenous repair capabilities take off the ground|date=2016-09-15|access-date=2016-09-15}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil_nadu/All-29-onboard-missing-IAF-AN-32-have-been-officially-presumed-dead/2016/09/15/article3621651.ece|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160916195855/http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil_nadu/All-29-onboard-missing-IAF-AN-32-have-been-officially-presumed-dead/2016/09/15/article3621651.ece|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 16, 2016|title=All 29 onboard missing IAF AN-32 have been officially presumed dead|access-date=2016-09-15}}</ref>

==Wreckage discovery==
On 12 January 2024, the [[Government of India|Indian government]] announced that an [[autonomous underwater vehicle]] found debris of the missing aircraft approximately 140 nautical miles from the Chennai coast.<ref>{{Cite web |title=INDIAN AIR FORCE AN-32(K-2743) |url=https://pib.gov.in/pib.gov.in/Pressreleaseshare.aspx?PRID=1995482 |access-date=2024-01-12 |website=pib.gov.in}}</ref> The statement further said there was no history of other missing aircraft in the area which pointed to the likelihood of it belonging to the An-32 which crashed.<ref name="Wreckage found">{{cite news |last1=Negi |first1=Manjeet |title=Debris of IAF's An-32 aircraft that went missing over Bay of Bengal in 2016 found |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/indian-air-force-an-32-k-2743-plane-missing-chennai-coast-2487901-2024-01-12 |access-date=15 January 2024 |work=India Today |date=12 January 2024 |location=|editor-first=Aditi |editor-last=Sharma}}</ref> India's defence ministry said the aircraft was last visible on radar {{cvt|280|km}} east of Chennai. It made a left bank and experienced a rapid decrease in altitude from {{cvt|23,000|ft}}.<ref>{{cite web |title=ASN Aircraft accident Antonov An-32 K2743 Chennai |url=https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=20160722-0 |website=Aviation Safety Network |access-date=15 January 2024}}</ref>

The wreckage was discovered by an [[Unmanned underwater vehicle|unmanned autonomous submarine]] that was imported from [[Norway]] by the National Institute of Oceanic Studies for research purposes. The wreckage was found at a depth of 3,400 metres using multiple payloads, including a multi-beam [[sonar]], synthetic aperture sonar and high-resolution photography.<ref>{{Cite web |title=These Scientists, Machine, Helped Solve Air Force's 8-Year-Old Mystery |url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/these-scientists-machine-helped-solve-air-forces-8-year-old-mystery-5100619 |access-date=2024-02-21 |website=NDTV.com}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[List of missing aircraft]]

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
* {{ASN accident|20160722}}

{{Aviation accidents and incidents in 2016}}
{{Aviation accidents and incidents in India}}
{{Disasters in India in 2016}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Indian Air Force An-32 crash, 2016}}
[[Category:2016 disasters in India]]
[[Category:Missing aircraft]]
[[Category:History of the Indian Ocean]]
[[Category:Aviation accidents and incidents involving the Antonov An-32]]
[[Category:Aviation accidents and incidents in 2016]]
[[Category:Aviation accidents and incidents in India]]
[[Category:July 2016 in India|Indian Air Force An-32]]

2016 Indian Air Force An-32 crash - Revision history

RonAgnew292842 at 22:13, 19 February 2026