AN-32 wreckage found: Kin of missing IAF personnel in hope and despair

Balla: The desolate family of Airman Suraj Singh still anticipates the news of the survival of their son in the AN-32 crash. Parts of wreckage of the aircraft was found by a team of IAF earlier today.

Speaking to ANI, Suraj's father said: "I pray that my son comes back. I have full faith in God."

In Sonipat, the family of another Airman, Pankaj Sangwan, awaits the arrival of their only child.

"When the wreckage of the aircraft has been found, what do you expect would have happened to the crew members?" asked one of his relatives.

The AN-32, with 13 personnel onboard had last contacted ground sources from Arunachal Pradesh on June 3.

After an extensive search for eight days, the wreckage of the aircraft was located earlier today by the crew of a Mi-17 V5 chopper in a valley in Arunachal Pradesh.

IAF said that efforts are underway to establish the status of occupants and establish survivors stating that high elevation and dense forest together coupled with inhospitable weather made it extremely difficult to search for the plane in the inaccessible and sparsely populated hilly terrain.