Missing IAF plane descended rapidly from 23,000 feet, hunt on

The plane had on board 29 people, mostly military personnel, and was headed from Chennai to Port Blair.

A transport plane of the Indian Air Force with 29 people on board went missing on Friday while flying from Chennai to Port Blair.

The AN-32 aircraft took off at 0830 hours from Tambaram in Chennai and the last contact with it was made 16 minutes later, defence sources said.

The aircraft can fly for up to four hours without refuelling. A massive search operation has been launched by the IAF, Navy and the Coast Guard.

Full scale Search & Rescue launched to look for IAF AN 32 overdue at Port Blair since 1130 hrs. Max assets being deployed at earliest.

— DPR (@SpokespersonMoD) July 22, 2016

\"Full scale search & rescue launched to look for IAF AN 32 overdue at Port Blair since 1130 hrs. Max assets being deployed at earliest,\" the defence ministry tweeted.

The Indian Coast Guard diverted at least four vessels in the Bay of Bengal to carry out search and rescue operations.

@SpokespersonMoD 4 ships deployed in Bay of Bengal diverted for SAR Kuthar Karmukh Gharial & Jyoti + 2 each P8I& DO pic.twitter.com/vZqtCgOgEh

— SpokespersonNavy (@indiannavy) July 22, 2016

One P8I aircraft and one Donier aircraft have been pressed into search and rescue operation while four ships have been diverted to join them.

More military assets are being sent to help in the search and rescue operation.