Naval ship HQ211 heads to the sea to join the search (Source: VNA)Hanoi (VNA) – Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc sent a dispatch asking for increased efforts to search for a military aircraft which went missing early on June 14 over the waters off central Nghe An province.
The Su 30Mk2 aircraft, of Regiment 923 under Division 371 of the Air Defence – Air Force Service, lost contact at 6:50 am during a training session in the area of Hon Mat Island, about 40km off the coast of Nghe An’s Vinh city.
The aircraft was carrying deputy head and chief of staff of Regiment 923, Senior Lieutenant Colonel Tran Quang Khai, and pilot Major Nguyen Huu Cuong.
The Prime Minister asked the Defence Ministry to seek all measures and mobilise forces to speed up the search for the two pilots and the aircraft.
The ministry is required to investigate reasons for the incident and review the flight control process to learn from experience to avoid similar accidents.
He asked the National Committee for Search and Rescue, the People’s Committees of Nghe An and Thanh Hoa provinces, the Ministry of Transport, and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to direct relevant offices to effectively carry out search and rescue activities.
A command post was set up at the military command of Nghe An’s Cua Lo township on the afternoon of June 14.
At 4 pm, marine teams of the province’s Border Guard High Command and Naval Region 1 loaded food and about 2,000 litres of freshwater onto naval ship HQ211 to support the search force at sea.
Shortly after receiving notification of the incident, the provincial Border Guard High Command ordered border guard posts along the shore to ask the local administration and fishermen operating near Hon Mat Island to join in the search.
Three border guard ships with 35 soldiers on board were also dispatched to look for the missing fighter.
Other coastal border guard posts have also readied vehicles and personnel to be deployed when necessary.-VNA
