Navy surveillance aircraft crashes in Goa; 1 rescued, 2 missing

A Dornier maritime surveillance aircraft of the Indian Navy with three officers on-board crashed off the Goa coast with two officers still missing.

The navy has ordered a Board of Inquiry into the crash that occurred off the Goa coast last night.

One pilot has been rescued while another pilot and an observer who were on-board are missing, the navy said.

"Six naval ships and four aircraft were immediately deployed for search which is still continuing to locate the two officers. The Navy has ordered a Board of Inquiry into the accident," a navy press release said.

The Dornier surveillance aircraft was on a routine training sortie when it 'ditched' at sea, about 20 nautical miles south west of Goa on Tuesday night.

The Naval air station at Goa lost communication with the aircraft at 10.02 pm, the release said. The aircraft is feared to have ditched soon thereafter, it added.