The Pawan Hans AS350 B-3 helicopter had taken off from Tawang at 9.50 am.on Saturday. The last radio contact with the ground was about 20 minutes after take off as it flew over the Sela Pass along the Chinese border perched at an altitude of 13,700 feet. Six Indian Air Force helicopters on Wednesday morning began an aerial survey along the dizzy heights of Sela Pass for rescue and search mission.
Congress legislator Tsewang Dhondup's younger sister, Yeshmi Lamu, was the lone woman occupant in the helicopter. She was in the helicopter with the chief minister for a medical check-up in Itanagar. The Arunachal Pradesh government had announced a cash reward of Rs.1 million to anyone who could provide information about the missing helicopter.