NDRF team joins search operation for missing aircraft

Jamshedpur, Aug 21 (PTI) A NDRF team on Wednesday joined the search operation in Jharkhand’s Seraikela-Kharswan district to trace a two-seater aircraft that went missing after it took off from an aerodrome here, an official said.

A six-member NDRF joined the search operation in Chandil dam this morning but nothing was found as yet, Deputy Commissioner of Seraikela-Kharswan, Ravi Shankar Shukla told PTI.

Asked about the identity of the missing pilot and trainee pilot, the deputy commissioner said it would be available with the concerned aviation company.

When contacted, a senior official of the aviation company “Alchemist Aviation” named one missing person as Subrodeep.

A massive search operation is being conducted in Chandil dam in Seraikela-Kharswan district after locals claimed that they saw the debris of the aircraft in the reservoir, Superintendent of Police (Seraikela-Kharswan) Mukesh Kumar Lunayat told PTI.

Earlier, East Singhbhum district Deputy Commissioner Ananya Mittal told PTI that the last location of the aircraft, which belonged to Alchemist Aviation company, was detected near Nimdih under Chandil sub-division of Seraikela-Kharswan district, by the Air Traffic Control at Sonari Aerodrome.

The administrations of the East Singhbhum and Seraikela-Kharswan districts, police and the Forest Department were searching for the aircraft, he said.

Besides the areas near Nimdih, searches were also being conducted in adjoining Purulia district of West Bengal, he added.

The aircraft, reported to be a Cessna 152 owned by flying school Alchemist Aviation, took off from the Sonari aerodrome in Jamshedpur around 11 am on Tuesday with a pilot and trainee on board, they said.