NEW DELHI (Sputnik) — The Indian Navy has deployed its most potent maritime reconnaissance aircraft Boeing P8I to the Philippines to join the ongoing search operation for 10 Indians who went missing Friday after cargo ship — MV Emerald Star — sank in the Pacific Ocean off Japan. According to the Indian Navy, its P 8I long-range maritime reconnaissance aircraft started the search operation immediately after landing at the Villamor air base in Manila.
"One P-8I aircraft took off at 11:45 p.m. yesterday for Manila to search for missing sailors of MV Emerald Star," an Indian Navy official said.
#SAR IN Boeing P-8 I LRMR aircraft enroute 2 Manila 4 Search & Rescue (SAR) of missing sailors of MV Emerald Star which sank NE of Philippines. Ac to land by 0900h local time & commence SAR thereafter. Ac carrying SAR kits contain 10men inflatable boat food etc @DefenceMinIndia pic.twitter.com/uDpVRMTmVn
— SpokespersonNavy (@indiannavy) 15 октября 2017 г.
On October 13, Japanese officials had said that a distress signal was received from the vessel when it was about 150 nautical miles east of the northern tip of the Philippines. The Japanese Coast Guard managed to rescue 16 people who were aboard the MV Emerald Star while 10 others, all of whom were Indians, are still missing. It is suspected that a typhoon in the region might have caused the accident.
Updated status regarding the 26 Indian crew members of vessel 'Emerald Star' pic.twitter.com/EBIuyoCzwa
— Raveesh Kumar (@MEAIndia) 15 октября 2017 г.