The twin-engine AN-32, which was from the 33 Squadron at the Sulur airbase, had a six-member crew of two pilots (Flight Lieutenant Pushpendra Badsara and Flying Officer Pankaj Kumar Nanda), a navigator (Flight Lieutenant Kunal Barpatte), a flight engineer and two technicians. A massive search and rescue operation has been mounted by the IAF, the Navy and the Coast Guard. The passengers on board, who were all headed for the Tri-Service Andaman and Nicobar Islands Command, included a woman IAF officer, Flight Lieutenant Deepika Sheoran, who is married to a Coast Guard officer based in Port Blair. Incidentally, India was to develop a multi-role transport aircraft (MTA) with Russia to gradually replace the ageing AN-32s. The sturdy AN-32s have been IAF workhorses in ferrying troops and cargo to forward areas since they were first inducted in 1984.

Source: Times of India July 23, 2016 06:00 UTC