Search begins for Arunachal CM Khandu

Itanagar, May 1 (IBNS): The search operations for Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu, whose chopper went missing on Saturday morning after taking off from a town in the state’s north west, began for the second day on Sunday.

The Chief Minister?s spokesperson Jambey Tsering said, ?The second day search operation has begun. The Arunachal Pradesh CM is still untraceable. Weather conditions have been deteriorating at various locations, but the search operation began early in the morning itself.?

The Pawan Hans Eurocopter B3 craft, carrying four other people took off on Saturday from Tawang at 9:56 am for state capital Itanagar, which is 200 km away. The chopper was expected to reach its destination at 11:30 am.

But there has been no contact with the helicopter since 20 minutes after take off as it flew over the Sela Pass, officials said.

Saturday afternoon saw more drama as state and defence authorities said Khandu had landed safely in a place called Daporijo in Upper Subansiri district even as the CM’s office said the chopper had landed in Bhutan.

“Arunachal CM’s chopper made an emergency landing at Daporijo in Bhutan border due to technical snag. He is safe,” Kiran Rijuju, advisor to the CM, told reporters.

“Arunachal Chief Minister is going to board a flight back to Itanagar,” said Khandu?s spokesperson Jambe Shiring.
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