M A I N   N E W S

Crashed plane with 7 bodies found
Arunachal Pradesh minister among victims

Itanagar, May 9
All seven occupants, including Arunachal Pradesh Education Minister Dera Natung and Times of India Deputy Managing Director Nandita Judge, flying by the missing Pawan Hans helicopter have been found dead when its wreckage was recovered today from near Sessa in West Kameng district, official sources said.

Their bodies were mutilated beyond recognition, they said, adding that the wreckage of the chopper, which went missing 15 minutes after takeoff from here yesterday, was spotted at around 5 a.m. Poor visibility could be the reason behind the crash, they said.

The others on board were Deputy Secretary of Union Ministry of Human Resource Development S.K. Jain, state Education Secretary Sange Lhaden and Delhi-based Art of Living Foundation member Nityananda Trihan, besides the pilots, Capt V.K. Dhir and Capt R.P. Singh.

The rescue team headed by West Kameng Deputy Commissioner and Superintendent of Police reached the crash site, braving inclement weather and thickly-forested hilly terrain.

Chief Minister Mukut Mithi and some of his Cabinet colleagues have rushed to the spot to bring back the bodies.

The chopper, on a special flight, took off from here at 11 am for Rupa in West Kameng district and Seppa in East Kameng district and was scheduled to return at 4 p.m. But it lost contact with Tejpur ground station around 11.15 a.m. after Dhir informed it about seeking a change of route apparently due to clouds and rains.

The district authorities had yesterday launched a massive search operation with the help of police, paramilitary and army personnel besides local residents, shortly after the copter went missing.

Indian Air Force helicopters based at Tezpur in Assam had been searching the area since yesterday, the sources said.

Meanwhile, a rescue team from Delhi, including the husband of Nandita Judge has headed for the disaster site. PTI