US aircraft violates Indian airspace

Mumbai June 20(ANI): A military cargo aircraft belonging to US carrying six persons and two crew members which violated the Indian air space, near Gujarat was forced to land in Mumbai International Airport by the Indian Air Force planes.

The Russian made AN 124 hired by the US, was transporting weapons and ammunition to its forces in Afghanistan.

According to the IAF sources, the plane took off from Diego Garcia island, a military base of the US near Mauritius in the Indian Ocean, and was headed for Kandahar in Afghanistan.

On being asked by the Mumbai Air Traffic Controller (ATC), whether it was a military aircraft, the pilot of the aircraft replied that it was a civilian aircraft.

The ATC called the Indian Air Force, after the intruded aircraft failed to give the code of verification.

IAF PRO Wing Commander T K Singh said the plane, which entered the Indian airspace around 2000 hrs, did not have the permission to fly over the Indian airspace.

The plane was then asked to land at the Mumbai airport, which it did.

Singh denied the reports that Indian Air Force planes escorted the aircraft up to the airport.

Security forces have surrounded the aircraft as IAF and Central Intelligence officials were questioning the people on board the aircraft.(ANI)