Kovai resident among 13 dead in AN-32 crash

Squadron Leader H Vinod, who hails from Kerala but had settled down in Coimbatore, was on board an AN -32 aircraft that crashed in a mountainous area in Arunachal Pradesh on June 3. The aircraft went missing around 33 minutes after taking off from Jorhat in Assam for Menchuka in Arunachal Pradesh. 

After a massive search, the wreckage of the plane was spotted near a village on the border of Siang and Shi-Yomi districts. On Thursday, the IAF confirmed that none of those on board survived the crash. According to sources, Vinod graduated from a private engineering college in Coimbatore and joined the IAF in 2011. His mother resides in Singanallur.

As a squadron leader, Vinod exhibited an exemplary work in rescuing people on behalf of IAF stranded during massive floods in Kerala last year, said officials. The mortal remains of Vinod are likely to be handed over to his family members today. Vinod’s brother Vivek is also working in the IAF. Several relatives visited their house in Singanallur on Friday, on knowing the sad demise of the air warrior.