New Delhi: The Indian Air Force (IAF ) today said it has maintained its aircraft on standby to take part in search operations to locate the missing plane from Malaysia with 239 persons on board.
“We kept our aircraft on alert and as soon as we have a forward, we are ready to take off for search operations ,” said an FIA spokesman .
The search area of the IAF is likely to be the Strait of Malacca, near the islands of Andaman and Nicobar .
The IAF has its Dornier aircraft, along with Mi-17 helicopters deployed in the Island territory and if need be , the Navy can deploy the P- 8I and maritime surveillance aircraft Tu- 142.
Malaysia has requested assistance from India to track his plane disappeared since the government here began the process of appointment of the persons appointed to share information and take the matter forward.
The Malaysia Airlines Boeing -777 aircraft bound for Beijing , which had five Indians on board, disappeared over the South China Sea on Friday, an hour after taking off from Kuala Lumpur.
India has a tri – service military command in Andaman and Nicobar and the Navy and Air Force conducted regular patrols in the area.
Search and rescue had been mobilized since early Saturday have failed to find the airliner in the South China Sea and the authorities have expanded the search area in the Andaman Sea , the Malaysian authorities said.
The authorities have put up last known point of contact with the air traffic control in East Malaysia – roughly halfway between Kota Bharu and the southern tip of Vietnam, flying at 35,000 feet.
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