US crew cleared of air violation

Government agencies today cleared the 11-member crew of an American Boeing 757 from charges of airspace violation yesterday after their inte...

Government agencies today cleared the 11-member crew of an American Boeing 757 from charges of airspace violation yesterday after their interrogation proved that they had inadvertently strayed into prohibited flying zone over Mumbai.

‘‘It appears that the violation was inadvertent and a mistake rather than a willful act,’’ Defence sources said.

Another airspace violation near Chennai; MiG-21 airborne to meet emergency

NEW DELHI: In yet another incident of violation of Indian airspace, an unidentified aircraft was sighted 180 nautical miles off Chennai even as Civil Aviation Minister Shahnawaz Hussain accused Pakistan ATC of misleading the American plane that was forced to land in Mumbai on Monday. ‘‘Even today an unidentified plane was sighted 180 nautical miles off Chennai … And it did not respond to our signals,’’ the Minister said on Tuesday. The matter has been brought to the notice of the Defence and External Affairs Ministries, he said.

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Meanwhile, Defence sources said an IAF MiG-21 fighter aircraft has been made airborne to ensure that the IAF has an ‘‘operationally ready airborne platform’’ to meet any emergency. The fighter plane took off from the forward Air Force base of Bhuj, they said. (PTI)

Civil Aviation Minister Syed Shahnawaz Hussain said it now appears that the Karachi air traffic control (ATC) gave wrong information to the Boeing because of which it flew on the flight path N-519 which is prohibited between 0600 hrs and 1800 hrs. He said India would complain to the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) about the Pakistani ATC giving the aircraft wrong route. ‘‘ICAO should probe the matter,’’ he added.

MIG fighter planes scrambled from the Bhuj airbase after the Indian Air Force’s surveillance unit noticed that the cargo plane owned by Conco Corporation had deviated significantly from its flight path, the sources said.

The Boeing had taken off from the US on January 31, it reached Karachi yesterday and was bound for Male in the Maldives.

The crew was confined to the reserved lounge of Sahar Terminal of the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport and was questioned by a joint investigating team of the RAW, Intelligence Bureau, Indian Air Force, Police and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation for hours overnight.

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Only US Vice Counsel General Michael Cole was allowed to meet the crew led by Captain John Burg, airport officials said.