Landed Across

An Army Aviation Corps chopper was forced to land by Pakistan in Skardu on the other side of the LoC after it strayed to other side (Olding Sector of Skardu) owing to the bad weather conditions in Kargil. The Cheetah was on its way to Bhimbhat from Leh and was carrying an engineering officer, one JCO and two pilots. All the four of its personnel were taken into custody, politely interrogated as the data (the government later denied that) loaded on their flying machine was washed away. The two government’s, however, discussed the issue quickly that led to the return take off of the chopper the same day after being refuelled.
Military pilots straying across LoC is nothing new for rival armies of India and Pakistan. The contiguity of the terrain and an un-marked LoC, unlike International Border, is a major factor. Possibility of straying increases in bad weather.
During the 2005 earthquake that flattened a vast belt on either side of the LoC, Pakistani choppers and relief aircrafts flew into J&K countless times. In November 2005, a US army Black Hawk was forced to land in Keran as it failed to locate the LoC. After preliminary investigations it was permitted to fly back. An UN chopper also strayed into J&K without prior intimation.
Between August 2005 and July 2007, the IAF had recorded 73 incidents of violations of Indian airspace by Pakistani aircrafts. Briefing the Lok Sabha on the issue in December 2010, Defence Minister A K Antony said between 2007 and 2010, Indian airspace was violated 29 times by pilots of neighbouring countries that included 23 violations by PAF alone. It included two violations by US, three by China and one by Bangladesh.
31/10/11 kashmir Life

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Categories: Foreign Nov 2011, Indian Aviation- In General Nov 2011