Mystery of Missing Trainer Aircraft Spurs Massive Search Operation

A Cessna 152 trainer aircraft owned by Alchemist Aviation went missing in Jharkhand's East Singhbhum district after taking off from Sonari aerodrome. A significant search operation involving local authorities and police is underway, with searches expanding to areas like the Chandil dam.

A two-seater trainer aircraft disappeared shortly after it departed from an aerodrome in Jharkhand's East Singhbhum district on Tuesday, officials reported. The incident has triggered an extensive search operation.

The missing aircraft, identified as a Cessna 152 owned by Alchemist Aviation, took off from the Sonari aerodrome in Jamshedpur around 11 a.m. with a pilot and a trainee onboard, according to the authorities. It was last pinpointed near Nimdih in the Seraikela-Kharsawan district, East Singhbhum Deputy Commissioner Ananya Mittal confirmed.

The search effort, led by the administrations of East Singhbhum and Seraikela-Kharsawan districts, along with police and Forest Department personnel, stretched into neighboring West Bengal's Purulia district. The scope of the search broadened to Chandil dam following local reports of possible debris sightings, Superintendent of Police Mukesh Kumar Lunayat stated, adding that senior officers are overseeing the operation, with boats deployed to scour the waters.