US Civilian Chartered Plane Carrying 205 Marines Detained by India

MUMBAI/NEW DELHI:

A Bangkok-bound chartered US plane in which American marines were among the 205 passengers was ordered by authorities to land at Mumbai airport on Sunday for flying over Indian airspace without getting the mandatory military clearance.

After remaining grounded for a few hours, the Boeing 767 plane belonging to North American Airlines and on a flight from Fujiriah in the UAE to Utapao in Bangkok was allowed by Indian Air Force (IAF) to resume its flight following a probe.

IAF spokesperson Wing Commander T K Singha said the DGCA will decide when the airplane will take off.

But due to the pilot's Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) the aircraft is not likely to take off before Monday.

"A US aircraft with 205 passengers, including its crew and US troops on board, was made to land in Mumbai while flying over Indian airspace as there was some confusion about its call sign," a Mumbai airport official said.

Singha told PTI in New Delhi that the transport aircraft had "civilian clearance from Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to fly over Indian airspace.

"However, it was carrying military personnel, for which the aircraft should have obtained Air Operation Routing clearance (AOR), needed for a military aircraft," he said. Foreign military aircraft have to obtain two sets of clearances before flying over India.

More:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/US-chartered-plane-...

This is the fourth incident of a foreign aircraft violating rules relating to obtaining of clearance to fly over Indian airspace or other disputes since June this year.