Jamshedpur (PTI): A team of the Indian Navy was set to join the search for the trainer aircraft that went missing with a pilot and a trainee shortly after it took off from an aerodrome in Jharkhand's Jamshedpur, officials said on Thursday.

As the search continued in the reservoir of the Chandil dam, where it was suspected to have crashed on Tuesday, a body was found floating this morning, they said.

The 19-member Navy team along with equipment reached Ranchi around 12.50 am.

"The Navy team from Visakhapatnam landed in Ranchi to extend help for the search operation of the trainer aircraft. It has reached Jamshedpur and is set to join the search operation," an official said.

Another official of the Seraikela-Kharsawan administration, who did not wish to be identified, told PTI, "A body was found floating in the dam in the morning. His identification is being done."

From the uniform on the body, it was suspected to be of one of the two persons on board the aircraft, he said.

It was suspected that the plane, which had pilot Captain Jeetu Sutaru and trainee pilot Subrodeep on board, crashed into the dam's reservoir.

On Wednesday, a six-member team of NDRF searched the reservoir for hours.

The aircraft, a Cessna 152 owned by Alchemist Aviation, took off from the Sonari aerodrome around 11 am on Tuesday.

The reservoir was being searched after villagers claimed the aircraft crashed into it, Superintendent of Police (Seraikela-Kharsawan) Mukesh Kumar Lunayat said.

East Singhbhum's Deputy Commissioner Ananya Mittal had said the last location of the aircraft was near Nimdih in Chandil sub-division as per the Air Traffic Control.

Searches were also being conducted in areas near Nimdih, and the adjacent Purulia district of West Bengal to locate the aircraft.

 

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Satna/Bhopal (PTI): Four children suffering from thalassemia have tested HIV positive at Satna District Hospital in Madhya Pradesh allegedly due to contaminated blood transfusions, officials said on Tuesday.

The case is four months old and an investigation is underway into it, an official said.

Officials suspect the use of contaminated needles or blood transfusions for the spread of infection to the children.

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MP Health Minister Rajendra Shukla told reporters in Bhopal that he has ordered a probe into the matter and sought a report.

“It is also being investigated whether the blood transfusion took place in other hospitals also or only in the government hospital,” he said.

The affected children, aged between 12 and 15 years, received blood transfusions from the hospital's blood bank, as per an official.

Devendra Patel, in-charge of the blood bank at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel District Hospital in Satna, said four children have tested HIV positive and an investigation is underway to determine how they got infected.

"Either an infected needle was used or a blood transfusion occurred. These are the two main reasons I believe. Blood transfusion seems to be the most likely cause," he told PTI Videos.

All these children suffer from thalassemia, and some have received 80 or 100 blood transfusions, he said.

A family member of one of the affected children said that their child was found to be HIV positive during a routine checkup about four months back, and he has been receiving medication, but it had proven to be of no use.

After taking the medication for HIV, the child starts vomiting, feels low and becomes ill, he said.

After the four children were detected with HIV infection, their family members were also tested and the results came out negative, he added.

The Opposition Congress targeted the government over the matter and demanded the resignation of Health Minister Shukla.

Speaking to reporters in Bhopal, Congress MLA and former minister Sachin Yadav claimed such incidents were continuously occurring in Madhya Pradesh.

Earlier, a case of toxic cough syrup came to light in Chhindwara, followed by incidents of rat bites at hospitals in Indore and Satna, and now children have been given HIV-infected blood, he said.

"The health minister is unable to manage the department. He should resign. A murder case should be filed against those responsible for the Satna incident," Yadav said.

Senior Congress leader Sajjan Singh Verma termed it a failure of the government. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav's government has no connection with ground realities, he charged.

"Somewhere rats are roaming in hospitals, somewhere children are being given HIV-infected blood. Instead of preventing HIV, you are spreading it. Mohan Yadav should wake up from his slumber. Children are the nation's heritage and should be taken care of," he added.