Debris of CASA plane found

On Jun 17, 2016

The search and rescue forces have found and recovered first debris of missing plane CASA 212 on the morning of June 17.

Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung came to the Search and Rescue Headquarters to directly search for the missing plane CASA212 with nine crew members on board.

The Ministry of National Defense on June 16 set up a search and rescue headquarters to search for a CASA maritime patrol aircraft which lost contact in the waters off the coast of the northern city of HaiPhong in the afternoon of the same day.CASA 212 plane with nine crew members on board enforces a duty to search for the missing Su30-MK2 fighter pilot Tran Quang Khai.

Lieutenant General Phan Van Giang, Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People’s Army and Deputy Minister of Defence, has directed rescue forces.
In the evening of June 16, Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Chi Vinh met Chinese Ambassador to Vietnam asking China to facilitate Vietnam’s search and rescue activities east of the delimitation line in the Tonkin Gulf.

A Vietnam Fisheries Resources Surveillance (VFRS) representative said VFRS sent two vessels operating at Bach Long Vi Island to coordinate with army forces to search for the missing plane.

Vietnam Coast Guard and other forces said they found some debris thought to be from CASA 212 south-west of Bach Long Vi Island, near the Tonkin Gulf delimitation line.

VOV