NEW DELHI: With every passing hour chances of survival of the missing MiG 29 pilot Commander Nishant Singh is fading. The psychological toll on the family has been immense and the naval aviators believe with time it is the vagaries of nature overwhelming everything.
Commander Nishant Singh has been missing since November 26 after his MiG-29K crashed into the Arabian Sea. While one pilot was rescued, Commander Nishant Singh has been missing and search by air and surface units is in progress.
Vice Admiral Shekhar Sinha (Retd), Defence Analyst points, “It becomes difficult to rescue the pilot with every hour passing after the accident.” But these are the risks involved with the stream of aviation adds Vice Admiral Sinha who has been a seasoned naval aviator himself.
Generally, such operations which are initially the ‘search and rescue’ operation are converted to only ‘search’ operation after about a week. The person is assumed missing for the next seven years and then the person is counted as dead with the formalities coming to a conclusion.
Indian Navy's Search and Rescue effort to locate Cdr Nishant have been continuing with extensive deployment of naval ships and aircraft. Some debris of the aircraft including landing gear, turbocharger, fuel tank engine and wing engine cowling was located.
As per the Indian Navy, in addition to nine warships and 14 aircraft engaged in the search efforts, Fast Interceptor Craft are also deployed to search waters along the coast. Further, the Marine/Coastal police are on the lookout and nearby fishing villages have been sensitised. In addition, underwater search by divers and seabed mapping using specialised equipment in the vicinity of primary wreckage of MiG-29K has also been activated.
In his humour-laden letter titled "permission to bite the bullet" seeking his Commanding Officer’s permission to solemnise the marriage in the Month of May this year has already gone viral.
In his letter Nishant Singh had mentioned the significance of ‘split seconds’ in aviation and combat.
"I intend to drop a nuclear one on myself and I realise that just like all the split-second decisions we take up in the air in the heat of combat, I cannot afford to allow myself the luxury of time to re-evaluate my decision," he wrote with regards to his decision of marriage.
He would have never imagined that things for his family would change forever in split seconds on 26 November.
“The Commanding officer has to handle not only the loss of the squadron but has also to come to the support of the family which faces major emotional pressure,” says Vice Admiral Shekhar Sinha. It is a big tragedy for the family and the navy but is much bigger for the woman married to Cdr Nishant Singh just six months back. Another naval combat aviator tells, “It becomes very taxing for the family for they live in perennial hope of assuming the person to be alive unless the body is recovered and the last rites are performed.”
Talking about the welfare a serving officer tells, “The squadron stands with the family and the family of the officer will be looked after.” An inquiry has been ordered to investigate the incident but every aviator the paper spoke with said, risk is inherent but we will keep getting motivated youth into our forces and more so into the combat flying.