A Nigerian flight bound for Hong Kong was forced to land at Mumbai airport on Monday after allegedly violating Indian air space.
MUMBAI: A private US-registered cargo aircraft Boeing 747 enroute from Nigeria to Hong Kong was forced to land in Mumbai after the crew filed some "suspicious" flight plan.
The Boeing, belonging to cargo operator Atlas Air, according to its pilot, was enroute from Nigeria to Hong Kong, but was intercepted by air force fighters as the code it sent to air traffic control (ATC) pertained to military aircraft, sources said.
IAF sources said the pilot first claimed that the aircraft was a United States Air Force Boeing 747 flying from Nairobi to Hong Kong and sought clearance to enter Indian Air space at 0047 hours.
On being refused permission to enter the Indian air space, the pilot said it was coming in as a civil registered aircraft operated by Atlas Air.
"The aircraft was asked to land at Mumbai to verify its antecedents", an IAF spokesman said New Delhi.
"As the Boeing landed at 0303 hours, it was detained and the pilot and the crew were being questioned", the spokesman said.
"The aircraft is still in Mumbai and is yet to file its further flight plan", he said.
Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings INC is principally involved in heavy freight cargo and also allows its aircraft to be used for US military movements.
"We checked the aircraft, which was found to be empty... and there were no passengers," sources said adding the plane may be permitted to take off after taking the necessary details.
The Indian Air Force, Airports Authority of India and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation are tasked with investigation.
During interrogation, the pilot said there was a mix-up by Nairobi Air Traffic Control in forwarding the aircraft particulars including the plane code, flight path and other related information.
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