China says ready to help India trace missing Sukhoi jet

Beijing, May 26 (IANS) China said it is ready to help India if it asks for assistance in the search for the missing Sukhoi-30 fighter jet and two pilots, even as the wreckage was found on Friday.

There was however no trace of the two Indian Air Force pilots who went down with the aircraft on Tuesday.

"So far, we have not received any request from the Indian government for assistance. If a request comes, China will offer assistance from a humanitarian perspective," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang said to a question on what it would say if India asks for assistance in the search for the missing pilots.

"However, whatever we do, it does not change our position in the relevant sections of the India-China border," Lu added.

On Wednesday, China had reacted curtly when asked if it would provide help in searching for the aircraft, that went missing on Tuesday near the India-China border. China had warned India not to disturb peace on the border area.

The wreckage was on Friday found close to the last known position of the aircraft, officials in India said. The aircraft had gone missing near Arunachal Pradesh's Doulasang area, adjoining China, 60 km north of Tezpur.

The Su-30 had taken off from the IAF Tezpur air base, located about 172 km from the India-China border in Arunachal Pradesh around 9.30 a.m. on a routine training mission on May 23.

It lost radar and radio contact with the controlling station around 11.10 a.m..