(a) whether a dornier aircraft of Indian coast guard went missing recently;
(b) if so, the facts in this regard;
(c) the number of aircraft went missing during the last three years and the current year;
(d) whether advanced / latest technology including Radar System is available with the defence forces to trace and find out the missing aircraft; and
(e) if so, the details thereof and the other steps taken by the Government to have the updated technology to find out missing aircraft?
MINISTER OF DEFENCE (SHRI MANOHAR PARRIKAR)
(a) & (b): Yes, Madam. During a routine night surveillance on 08 June 2015, Indian Coast Guard (ICG) Dornier aircraft CG-791 suddenly disappeared from the radar located at Trichy when it was 32 miles north-east of Karaikal. After extensive search by the ICG, Navy and other agencies, wreckage of the aircraft was recovered on 10 July 2015.
(c) Only one aircraft (CG-791) as mentioned in reply to part (a) & (b) has gone missing during the last three years and the current year.
(d) & (e): Advanced technology including radar system is available with the defence forces. Overflying aircrafts are continuously tracked by land based radar. Further, the aircrafts are also equipped with Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT), Personal Rescue Beacon (PRB) Airborne Locator System (ALS) and Sonar Locator Beacon (SLB). In addition, the Government has also used specialized technologies available with Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS), National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC), National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) and other agencies to successfully locate the wreckage of the missing aircraft.
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