ISLAMABAD – Pakistan Air Force (PAF) reportedly sent its F-16 aircraft tointercept an Afghanistan-bound commercial Indian flight last month after amix-up from the Air Traffic Control (ATC).
Spicejet’s Delhi-Kabul flight was in the air when two F-16 aircraft flankedthe Indian airplane and asked the pilot to lower its altitude and providethem with flight details.
The incident, which is told to have taken place on September 23rd, occurreddue to confusion at ATC’s end. As per reports, the SpiceJet flight with 120passengers aboard flew from Delhi to Kabul.
Since every flight has its specific code, SpiceJet’s plane’s code was ‘SG.’The ATC officials mistook it with ‘IA,’ which is code for Indian Air Force(IAF) jets. The air traffic control hastily informed about an approachingflight with ‘IA’ code, prompting PAF to respond.
[image: Image result for SpiceJet flanked by Pak F16]
“At the time when Pakistani F-16s were flying around their flight, thepassengers were told to shut the windows and remain silent,” one of thepassengers was quoted as saying.
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According to Indian media, Pakistan fighter jets escorted the Indian flighttill it entered Afghan airspace after the confusion was cleared. Pakistaniauthorities, on the other hand, have neither confirmed nor rejected thestory so far.
Note that due to high tensions between Pakistan and India, the country hasclosed three of its air routes for Indian carriers, disconnecting directflights to the US, Europe and the Middle East.
Via:* Times of India*link
