Search for AN-32: Manohar Parrikar claims some objects found, verification awaited

As the search for the missing AN-32 aircraft with 29 defence personnel on board entered the sixth day on Wednesday, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said some objects have been found in the Bay of Bengal and search teams have been asked to verify if they were of the ill-fated plane.

"There are no confirmed reports or anything. But some objects are located. The ships have been asked to verify that," Parrikar, who was here to unveil the statue of former President A P J Abdul Kalam, told reporters.

"We cannot confirm whether the objects are from the plane. They (Air Force, Navy and Coast Guard) are not leaving any chances," he said replying to a question.

The AN-32 transport aircraft went off radar 16 minutes after taking off from Tambaram airbase on its way to Port Blair on July 22.

As many as 17 ships from Coast Guard and Indian Navy and 23 aircraft are involved in the search of the plane in Bay of Bengal amid receding hopes of finding any survivors.

Parrikar on Tuesday said a state-of-art ice-class research vessel, Sagar Nidhi, of the National Institute of Ocean Technology has been called from Mauritius to join the search operations.