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{{Infobox aircraft occurrence
| name = 2016 Indian Air Force An-32 disappearance
| image = K2717 Antonov An.32 Indian Air Force (8414615752).jpg
| image_upright = 1.1
| alt =
| caption = An Indian Air Force [[Antonov An-32]] similar to the missing aircraft
| occurrence_type = Disappearance
| date = {{start date|2016|07|22|df=y}}
| summary = Missing, presumed crashed into the sea
| site = [[Bay of Bengal]], India
| aircraft_type = [[Antonov An-32]]
| operator = [[Indian Air Force]]
| 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 (presumed)
| missing = 29
| survivors = 0
}}

On 22 July 2016, an [[Antonov An-32]] twin engine [[turboprop]] transport aircraft of the [[Indian Air Force]] disappeared 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 web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-36865297|title=India launches massive search operation for missing military plane|accessdate=2016-07-22|publisher=BBC}}</ref> The search and rescue operation became India's largest search operation for a missing plane on the sea in history.<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> There were similar incidents 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>

==Disappearance and search==

{{Location map many
| India
| width =
| 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 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|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=http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/ill-fated-an-32-onboard-survival-iaf/1/764824.html|title=Exclusive: Those on board ill-fated AN-32 declared dead, IAF writes to family members|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|title=All 29 onboard missing IAF AN-32 have been officially presumed dead|access-date=2016-09-15}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[List of missing aircraft]]
* [[1986 Indian Air Force An-32 disappearance]]
* [[2019 Indian Air Force An-32 crash]]

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

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

{{Aviation accidents and incidents in 2016|state=collapsed}}
{{Disasters in India in 2016}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Indian Air Force An-32 disappearance, 2016}}

{{#seo:
|keywords=2016 disasters in India, Missing aircraft, History of the Indian Ocean, Accidents and incidents involving the Antonov An-32, Aviation accidents and incidents in 2016, Aviation accidents and incidents in India
|description=
}}

[[Category:2016 disasters in India]]
[[Category:Missing aircraft]]
[[Category:History of the Indian Ocean]]
[[Category: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 events in India|Indian Air Force An-32]]

2016 Indian Air Force An-32 disappearance - Revision history

MetaBOT at 18:54, 8 July 2023