No trace of missing Navy personnel, rain may jeopardise search operations
Visakhapatnam: The four naval personnel, three sailors and one officer, who were reported missing after the Torpedo Recovery Vessel (TRV), they were sailing sunk off Vizag coast on Thursday night, still remained untraceable, even as the massive search and rescue operations entered third day on Sunday.
Thunderstorms and rainfall following a low pressure over Bay of Bengal on Sunday may jeopardize the search operations. Around nine ships of the Eastern fleet and a few aircraft including SKG 42C, Dorniers, Boeing P81, with night vision capabilities and Chetak helicopters were deployed for the rescue mission since Thursday night.
Chief of naval staff, RK Dhowan is likely to visit Vizag in the afternoon to oversee the search and rescue operations. He is also likely to visit slain sailor James Jacob’s residence to meet the family members.
Taking into account, the prevailing drift and sea currents, the search has been extended to 80 nautical miles, while the TRV sunk 35 nautical miles off Vizag coast on the night of Nov 6.
According to highly placed sources in the Indian Navy, the missing officer has been identified as Lt Commander Shishir Kumar, of Naval Armament Inspection Office of Eastern Naval Command (ENC), and the remaining are two divers and a crew member of the TRV.
Meanwhile, family members of Shishir Kumar are anxiously waiting for his comeback. All the relatives of faraway places have reached the missing officer’s home in Kirlampudi layout.
