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IAF sources told India
Strategic Oct 27 that more than 100
personnel from the IAF, Indian Army, Ladakh scouts
and sherpas (local mountain workers) were doing
day and night search operations in teams in the
very tough terrain and cold, snowy peaks sloping
at 70 to 80 degrees in avalanche prone area.
It appears that the aircraft hit one of the peaks
literally head on at a speed of around 900 km,
disintegrated and its parts fell on either side
of a ridge.
Sources said that the search was on, and as the
next snowfall was expected only on Saturday according
to weather indications, all efforts were being
made to look for more aircraft debris. One more
difficulty is the presence of wild animals, including
bears but pistol fire should possibly scare them
away.
The engine has been found at an altitude of nearly
5000 metres (18000 feet) buried in the snow, located
with indications of burn marks on the snow surface.
There was no sign yet of Sq Ldr D S Tomar, the
lone pilot, whose vest had an ELT (Emergency Locater
Transmitter). There was no indication or communication
of any problem or distress from him and there
has been no signal from the ELT unit also.
Meanwhile, an IAF statement quoted Air Marshal
D C Kumaria, Commander in Chief of the Western
Air Command as saying that “the search would
continue till we reach to the bottom of case and
arrive at definite conclusions”.
The Mig 29 was on a night mission along with
another buddy after taking off from Adampur for
Jalandhar.
Although various aerial and satellite assets
had been deployed, it was only physical surveillance
by IAF teams that indicated the general area of
the mishap, and then, the first hard evidence
in aircraft pieces was found by villagers of Thirot
(Lahual district), whose Sarpanch (village head)
passed them on to the authorities.
IANS adds: "More burnt pieces were recovered
on the Gangstang glacier in the Chokhang hills
during ground combing. Some were recovered Wednesday
and some Thursday," Lahaul and Spiti Deputy
Commissioner Rajeev Shankar told IANS over phone.
The Gangstang glacier is situated at the western
border of the Lahaul region at an altitude of
about 5,480 metres streaming into Shahsha nullah
which joins the Chandrabhaga river.
Some villagers of Thirot, 40 km from Keylong
town, last week spotted some burnt pieces of the
aircraft in the Chokhang hills.
The villagers brought three parts and the IAF
matched the wreckage with the ill-fated MiG-29.
"The pieces of the wreckage in both the
cases were recovered very near to each other.
Prima facie, it seems that the main parts of the
crashed aircraft are also nearby," Shankar
said.
An IAF statement said that Group Capt P.K. Sharma,
coordinating the search for the missing aircraft
and pilot, confirmed locating the crash site above
Chokhang village at 15,000 feet.
He informed that several components of the aircraft
have been recovered after digging under the snow
and rubble. These are being brought down to base
camp for proper identification.
"The searchers have set up a base camp on
the hilltop of Chokhang from where they are trekking
adjoining hills," Deputy Superintendent of
Police Khajana Ram said.
He said the state police and J&K Rifles are
providing logistic support to the trekkers.
The IAF has deployed its front-line aircraft
like SU-30, Jaguar, AN-32 and Cheetah and Chetak
helicopters besides Remotely Piloted Aircraft
(RPA) to comb the Himalayan terrain.
An IAF official, who is also associated with
the search operation, said the focus is now primarily
on ground search as aerial recces are not so successful
in the mountainous terrain where the cliffs are
vertical and gorges narrow.
"Moreover, the recent snowfall in the hills
has blanketed the entire area," he added.
The IAF said the task force commander routinely
undertook aerial reconnaissance by helicopter
to guide the teams (of trekkers) to precise locations.
"A total of 149 sorties have been flown
as part of the search and rescue effort till Oct
25," IAF said.
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