Another incidence of a missing plane is playing out in India where the country’s Air Force has confirmed to the BBC that a military plane with more than 20 people on board has gone missing over the Bay of Bengal.

The Antonov-32 transporter aircraft took off from Chennai at 08:30 local time, heading to Port Blair in the eastern archipelago of Andaman and Nicobar and was scheduled to land at 11:30 local time.

The missing aircraft was carrying service personnel to strategic islands near the Malacca Straits, where India has a military base.

The ministry of defence said four aircraft, 12 ships and a submarine have been deployed to search for the plane.

The Indian Air Force operates more than 100 Antonov-32 aircraft.

The BBC reports that the IAF has a relatively poor safety record and the Russian-made aircraft which form the backbone of the Indian fleet have been the most accident-prone.