IAF jet forces Ukrainian plane coming from Pakistan to land in Jaipur

PRESS INFORMATION BUREAU (DEFENCE WING), GOVERNMENT OF INDIA stated that an unknown aircraft entered Indian air space in North Gujarat Sector at 1515 hrs. IST at 3.15 pm with its IFF (Identification, Friend or Foe) ‘on’. The aircraft did not follow the protocol stated by the Air Traffic Services (ATS) route and was not responding to radio calls made from Indian controlling agencies. As the ATS routes in the North Gujarat area are closed due to the current geopolitical situation, and the aircraft entered Indian air space from an unauthorized point, the air defense interceptor which was on operational readiness was scrambled and vectored towards the unknown aircraft for further investigation.

On visual contact, the aircraft was identified as the Georgian An-12 flying at height of 27,000 feet. The aircraft neither responded on international distress frequency nor to the visual signals during interception. However, when challenged, the aircraft answered and informed the authorities that it was a non-scheduled An-12 aircraft that took off from Tbilisi (Georgia) for Delhi via Karachi. The aircraft was shadowed and forced to land at the Jaipur airport for the necessary investigation.

THE WAY THINGS TOOK PLACE:

• IAF intercepted a cargo plane coming from Pakistan violating the Indian air space.

• The cargo plane, after getting airborne for Delhi from Karachi, deviated from the scheduled flight path.

• Indian Air Force (IAF) on Friday forced a Ukrainian aircraft to land at the Jaipur air base for violating the Indian air space. The crew of the aircraft is being questioned by the concerned authorities.

• Reports claim that Indian Sukhoi intercepted the cargo plane.

• Indian Air Force fighter jets forced the Ukrainian aircraft Antonov An-12 heavy cargo plane coming from Pakistani air space to land at Jaipur airport. It was left off after an in-depth investigation.

“It was just a minor route violation, the plane was made to land in Jaipur due to security concerns. It wasn’t a serious violation, it’s been released,” Additional Commissioner of Police, Jaipur stated.

The Antonov An-12 entered the Indian air space around 70 km north of a significant air base in the Rann of Kutch from the air space which is closed for civilian air traffic, according to the sources. The IAF had sent its team from nearby bases to check the cargo contents of the aircraft.

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