This Article is From Sep 02, 2009

YSR goes missing: How the day unfolded

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Hyderabad:

Following is the blow-by-blow account of the missing helicopter of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy:

08:35 am: Twin-engined Bell 430 helicopter of Andhra government carrying the Chief Minister takes off from old Begumpet airport in Hyderabad. The helicopter, also carrying Chief Minister's Principal Secretary S Subramanyam and Chief Security Officer A S C Wesley, heads for Chitoor district.

09:35 am: Helicopter, flown by two pilots, loses contact while possibly flying over Nallamala forest ranges, a stronghold of the Naxalites, in the Rayalaseema region.

10:15 am: The chopper loses all contacts.

11:30 am: Initial reports of chopper making forced landing at Kurnool spread.

12:15 pm: Reports of YSR missing.

1:00 pm: Home Ministry says Andhra CM untraceable.

1:30 pm: Unconfirmed reports in media say YSR safe, landed in Kurnool forest.

2:00 pm: Andhra government, Home Ministry said to be monitoring situation.

3:00 pm: Andhra government confirms CM missing, search operations on.

3:30 pm: Congress in press meet calls it crisis situation.

Prime Minister's Office, Union Home Ministry and Defence Ministry alerted. Office of Congress President Sonia Gandhi in touch with the state government.

Four helicopters, including three belonging to IAF pressed into search operations, but no contact established because of strong winds and inclement weather.

Two helicopters from Hakimpet air command in Secunderabad return because of inclement weather, while three from Bangalore air command and one private helicopter from Nellore were involved in search operations.

An unmanned aerial vehicle from the Defence Ministry pressed into service.

04:00 pm: Finance Minister K Rosaiah addresses press conference to say no word on the Chief Minister.

Till 6 pm: Search operations by ten helicopters on in six district. Time for carrying out search operations running out as sunset approaches.

Home Minister P Chidambaram personally monitoring the situation in Delhi.

(With PTI inputs)

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