Indian military plane missing with 13 on board

Last updated on: 03 June,2019 04:21 pm

The aircraft last contacted ground agencies at 1300 hrs, thereafter there has been no contact.

GUWAHATI (AFP) - An Indian military aircraft with 13 people on board went missing Monday in the northeast of the country, the defence ministry said.

The Russian-built Antonov An-32 took off from Jorhat in Assam state at 12:25 pm (0655 GMT) headed for Mechuka in Arunachal Pradesh, bordering China.

"The aircraft last contacted ground agencies at 1300 hrs, thereafter there has been no contact," the defence ministry said in a statement. "A total of eight crew and five passengers were onboard the aircraft," it said.

Spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel P. Khongsai said every effort was being made to locate the missing plane.

Crashes by India s sizeable fleet of ageing Russian military aircraft are relatively common.