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The Ukrainian-make AN-124 aircraft, owned by Russian private airline Volga-Dnepr, "would be allowed to get airborne again today" after the External Affairs Ministry gives the Air Operations Routing (AOR) authority to fly over Indian airspace, said IAF spokesperson Wg Cdr T K Singh on Saturday.
"The aircraft is awaiting clearance and will take off once it is given by the government," a Mumbai International Airport Ltd (MIAL) spokesman said in Mumbai. "The US and the Russian operators have already approached the Ministry of External Affairs to obtain the AOR authority. The US has admitted that it was a mistake of the operator from whom they had hired the aircraft," IAF officials said in New Delhi.
The AN-124, the largest heavy transport aircraft manufactured by Ukrainian Antonov company with NATO code name Condor, was carrying military cargo, which included land vehicles, equipment and weapons for the US' fight against terrorism in Afghanistan, they said.
"The aircraft was apparently carrying military cargo for US armed forces personnel fighting Taliban under Operation Enduring Freedom. The aircraft, chartered by the US military, took off from Diego Garcia, a US military base on an island near Mauritius in the Indian Ocean," the IAF officials said.
The aircraft used for long-range delivery and air-dropping of troops and heavy military cargo had intruded into Indian airspace around 2000 hours on Friday evening.
The IAF's South Western Air Command (SWAC) air defence 'Movement Liaison Unit', which noticed the aircraft, activated the standard operating procedures under which the Air Traffic Control ordered the cargo chartered plane to land at Mumbai.
No IAF fighter jet had scrambled to escort the intruding aircraft, as it clearly followed ATC radio calls and landed in Mumbai at 2240 hours, Singh said.
The aircraft was moved to a parking bay at the cargo terminal, the MIAL officials said.
IAF officials said there were a total of 18 persons on board the aircraft, including a five-member crew.
Securitymen from the CISF had cordoned off the aircraft and sleuths from the Intelligence Bureau and officials from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation carried out checks in the plane's cargo hold. They also questioned the crew and passengers on board the aircraft, they added.
IAF sources said the AN-124 had been operating on the same flight plan in the last fortnight and had come under adverse notice because of its call sign.
"The plane used a civilian aircraft call sign VDA 4466, whereas its original call sign was REACH 813, which implied it was a military cargo aircraft," IAF sources said.
"Since obtaining a military clearance for using Indian airspace by foreign military aircraft is cumbersome...it has to go through MEA, Intelligence agencies and then IAF...the operator adopted a short-cut," they added.
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Some cover-up is going on. A military cargo plane trying to use civilian disguise. The question is if Indian establishment used the same procedure, would the US administration allowed it. A full thorough check should be made, penalty should be levied for intruding our airspace without prior permission, any mapping of our territory, military installaions should be checked. For military cargo delivery why 18 member crew is required? Prime Minister should not circum to US diktat. (This is where communists really come into play a real roll may be, as they see red in anything American). Is MMS is plying into American hand too much?. Is our soverginity is at stake?. I am worried.
Disinformation and not misinformation, lies and not factual errors. Are there no journalistic standards left at Indian Express ?
I didn't get the story. The PTI people haven't given the right info. From what I understand, the cargo aircraft is US own abut of Russian manufacture. The readers would like to know the name of the ownership, what type of ammunitions and what equipments. Was is on charter? Who are the charterers? It is an interesting report but unfortunately with incomplete investigations. AN 124 is the largest transport aircraft in the world....so what huge stuffs are the Americans transporting to Afghanistan that they require the largest transport aircraft
Dear sir/Madam, In my humble opinion, OUR Government MUST consult and investigate the matter through Friendly Democratic Countries fighting Against the International terrorists (who have shattered OUR Peace in India too) in Afghanistan and Pakistan. WE MUST ENSURE that there WERE NO ELECTRONICS IN THE AIRCRAFT MAPPING OUR SECURED SITES FOR PAKISTANI/CHINESE intelligence. Some POOR Countries fail to understand their MORAL responsibilities towards the Planet and can resort to any means for short-term financial gains.
What a stupid headline! The report goes on to add that the plane was "apparently owned by the United States" and yet the Editor of the paper would allow a factually untrue headlineto highlight the report.
UPA Govt. and Congress should start realising the blunders they have committed (they might have won the election)in their dealings with all foreign countries even if US. The Govt. was never serious.The word CAUTION doesnot exist for the power hungrey Congress (which party doesnot have any great leader like Mahatma Gandhi but only NAMKE VASTE Gandhis).Indian People by voting this type of leaders are only spoiling future of India. No wonder we Indians are destined to die under the Atomic Bomb of Secularism in the world of Communalism
I am very much concerned about how the plane which violated Indian Airspace was escorted to Mumbai. According to the news it is the largest cargo plane. The point I want to make is that was it wise to escort such a plane; the contents of which are unknown; to a largely populated area? What if the plane contained Biological weapons or Nuclear Weapons? Are we not still able to learn a lesson after the Mumbai attacks? Just suppose some terrorists highjacked such a plane and stuffed the cargo with the above material. What better way to reach the target than to be escorted by the Airforce to it. I think nowadays the defence really needs to take these things into consideration while following their regular protocol. There is a parrallel in history itself - the TROJAN HORSE.This is of course for future use.Let us hope I will still be here (in Mumbai) to read more comments on this.