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| Edited By: DNA Web Team |Source: DNA webdesk |Updated: Oct 04, 2022, 02:48 PM IST
Indian Air Force jets sprung into quick action after Lahore’s Air Traffic Control (ATC) informed of a potential bomb threat on an Iranian plane bound to China, which had entered the airspace of India and remained there for 40 minutes.
A day after the alleged bomb threat posed by the Iranian civilian flight, Indian Air Force Chief Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari revealed the details of what happened during the standoff between the IAF and the pilot of the flight bound to China.
The IAF chief talked about what the initial response of the Air Force was when they got the call from Lahore about a potential bomb threat on the country’s capital, New Delhi. The pilot of the flight was given the option of landing in Jaipur or Chandigarh but chose to remain on course to China.
While speaking to ANI reporters, IAF chief VR Chaudhari said, “The primary method of suspension of any aircraft, which is suspected to be a rogue aircraft… the first method is with the help of fighter aircraft, which are on readiness.”
#WATCH | IAF chief ACM VR Chaudhari responds to ANI question on China-bound Iranian aircraft bomb threat yesterday & what was the protocol followed pic.twitter.com/j9DIRfLte9 — ANI (@ANI) October 4, 2022
The Air Force Chief Marshall further added, “You can signal to the pilots onboard or anybody else who has taken command of the aircraft that they are being followed, and they can be destroyed.”
IAF chief Chaudhari told ANI, “As per the given standard operating procedures, the response was to scramble fighters… initially two of them, from a base in Punjab. And then, thereafter, another two followed the aircraft.”
While the Lahore ATC had informed New Delhi that there was a bomb on board an Iranian civilian flight with was hovering in the Indian airspace, the airlines put out a tweet and dismissed all such claims, saying that it was just an attempt to disrupt the peace and security of a country.
Iranian news agency IRNA quoted a statement from Mahan Air which said, “As soon as the pilot was alerted about the possibility of a bomb attack, he informed the control tower and requested an emergency landing in India.”
