Search area now reduced to 225 sq kms

The focus on finding Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Reddy has shifted to massive ground operations and search is on in an area of broadly 1200-1300 sq kms but the focus area is much smaller of  225 sq km. But rainfall is hampering search operations as the combing operation is on.

Army and state forces are searching the area and 41 satellite images are being analysed.

Indian Air Force aircrafts are looking for any signs of YS Reddy's chopper. Sukhoi 30 fighter planes have been deployed. These have advanced radars and can map an area day or night.

They will work through the night, since they can re-fuel mid-air. They will conduct thermal imaging, their results expected by Thursday morning.

The army and police from 6 districts are involved in the ground search. They will work through the night, special night-vision equipment has been requested.

Andhra's anti-Naxal forces have also been sent to Nallamalla forest area, because they are familiar with the jungle terrain here. Local tribals from this part of the state, considered Naxal Country, are helping with the search mission. Patrol parties have been sent by boat to search on the River Krishna.

ISRO's special aircraft have also been deployed. Its satellites which can see through cloud cover will pass over the forest area on Thursday morning. These satellite reports will be filed by Thursday afternoon.

The area being combed is south of Hyderabad. The territory is huge, around the town of Atmakur, in the Eastern part of the Kurnool district. But the search also extends to Cuddapah, Guntur, Anantpur, Prakasam, and Mahaboobnagar.

What's happening right now:

• Search is down to 225 sq km, the focus the Nallamalla forests over which the chopper was flying when contact was lost
• ISRO has taken 41 satellite pictures, analysis awaited; this could come as early as tonight
• No signal picked up from chopper, a good sign; Dornier equipped to pick up electronic signals did not pick up anything
• Sukhoi 30 aircraft joins the search operation as part of the massive rescue operations, the army, the Air Force, police all part of search efforts
• Sukhoi 30s to do thermal imaging
• Pictures should be available from the Sukhoi 30s later tonight
• 300 army jawans in search operation
• Jawans carrying night vision equipment
• But rainfall and bad weather are hampering search operations
• And here in the capital Sonia Gandhi meets top Congress leaders