Pak spy plane shot down
IAF, Navy put on high alert
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, Aug 10 — The Indian Air Force (IAF) today shot down a Pakistani naval anti-submarine and reconnaissance aircraft over Kori Creek in Kutch in Gujarat when it intruded 10 km into Indian airspace.

A report from Pakistan said all the 16 persons on board the plane were presumed dead.

A statement issued by the Ministry of Defence said, the IAF MiG-21 combat aircraft intercepted and shot down the Pakistani Atlantique maritime patrol aircraft at about 11.15 am.

The Minister of Defence, Mr George Fernandes, later in the evening ruled out the possibility of any flare-up. He however said that both the Indian Navy and the IAF had been put on high state of alert.

The intruding Pakistani aircraft was detected by the IAF ground radars at 10.57 am and was intercepted by two MiG-21 aircraft, which took off from Naliya airbase in Gujarat, 10 km south of the international border (IB) inside Indian territory.

When the IAF fighter aircraft closed in to identify and signalled the Pakistani aircraft to land at an Indian base, the intruding jet acted, "in a hostile manner by turning onto our fighters."

The statement said at that stage, the Atlantique was shot down by an air-to-air missile which hit it on the port engine which caught fire. The wreckage of the Pakistani plane was found by IAF helicopters 2 km on the Indian side of the international border.

This was not the first instance of Pakistani planes intruding into Indian airspace. The intrusions have specially been in the south-western sector which touches Gujarat border with Pakistan. From May to July this year there have been eight such intrusions.

According to reports, the Indian fighter aircraft initially gave two warnings to the intruding plane and shot it down on the third warning as per the international convention. The Pakistani plane turned hostile after the two warnings, following which it was shot down.

The IAF has put the South-Western Air Command (SWAC) on full alert even as the Director Generals of Military Operations (DGsMO) of the two countries spoke on the hotline at about 3.30 pm. Pakistan’s DGMO confirmed that the Pakistani plane had been shot down.

The IAF noticed such intrusions specially during the Kargil operations when Pakistani F-16 aircraft intruded into Indian airspace and were chased away by the Indian fighter aircraft. The Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal A.Y. Tipnis, had also said that Pakistan had been constantly intruding into Indian airspace specially with the idea of reconnaissance.

The IAF, which had put all its bases on alert during the Kargil operations had to everytime chase away the Pakistani aircraft at times flying almost parallel to them. While on occasions the IAF ground radars had locked onto the intruding Pakistani jets, on other occasions the combat air patrol aircraft had their radars locked onto the Pakistani jets.

According to reports after the incident, Pakistan tried to send in international observers, but India refused. India categorically warned that any intrusion into the Indian territory would be considered hostile and would be shot down.

Pakistan reportedly also attempted to send in three of its choppers for rescue and collecting the wreckage but were again not allowed into Indian territory. The Indian jets on patrol in the region gave them warning to return or face the same consequences, following which the Pak choppers returned to their bases.

Reports here said that the Indian Navy had been put in a "state of enhanced vigilance" and was keeping a watch on possible Pakistani reaction following the shooting down of the plane.

Sources in the Navy said the entire Western Fleet of the Indian Navy had been put on high state of alert. While some of the ships were already on sea, some others had also been despatched to the region for enhanced patrolling.

As per reports, the IAF choppers had now reached the crash site and were trying to extricate the wreckage which lay in the marshy area in the Sir Creek region. The IAF fighter pilots after shooting down the Pak plane had not been able to see as to where it went as the area was covered with thick clouds.

The MoD spokesman said Atlantique maritime patrol aircraft was brought down by a MiG-21 fighter jet. The wreckage was found in Kori Creek area of Kutch, south Gujarat.

An AFP report from Karachi quoting unnamed Pakistani naval official said there were 16 persons aboard the patrol aircraft, all of whom were presumed dead.

The aircraft was carrying 16 navy personnel comprising six under-training officers and 10 sailors, the official said, adding "all are presumed dead".

It quoted the official as saying that the plane went missing at 11.30 am Pakistani time (1200 IST) and helicopters sent out to search, sighted the wreckage on the ground near Badin "inside the international border on the Pakistani side, 300 km North-East of Karachi".

USA concerned

WASHINGTON, Aug 10 (Reuters) — The White House today expressed concern about an upsurge in tensions between India and Pakistan after India shot down a Pakistani military aircraft. David Leavy, spokesman for the White House National Security Council, said the White House was monitoring reports about the downing of the aircraft but had no independent confirmation of the shoot-down."We are concerned about an increase in tensions,’’ he said.