Indian crew flying back after Pakistan 'airspace violation'
This is a breaking news report:
Reports are indicating that an Indian Air Force helicopter crew, detained by Pakistan for violation of its airspace, are scheduled to return to India.
A landing is imminent.
India and Pakistan were in talks on Sunday after the Indian Army chopper with four officers on board strayed into and landed in Pakistani Kashmir due to bad weather.
The Pakistan military said all four Indians spent time 'in safe custody'.
Indian military officials said pilot error forced the Chetak chopper to stray across the Line of Control (LoC) that divides Kashmir between India and Pakistan.
An official in New Delhi said that the director general of military operations (DGMA) was in touch with his Pakistani counterpart to retrieve the chopper and its passengers.
The official added that India's foreign ministry had also contacted the Pakistani government.
The helicopter carried two pilots, a junior commissioned officer and an engineer officer.
It had taken off from Leh in Jammu and Kashmir's Ladakh region and was bound for Bhimbhat in Drass sector near Kargil, on the LoC, to bail out an Indian Army helicopter that got grounded there after a snag.
Pakistani officials said the helicopter, which had taken off at around 1 p.m., was forced to land in Skardu sector in Pakistani administered Kashmir for violating the country's airspace.
Skardu also lies close to the LoC.
Pakistani military spokesman Major General Athar Abbas said in Islamabad: "The helicopter had come deep into our airspace. It was forced to land. Four Indian army officers have been taken into safe custody. They are safe."
Manufactured by state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd, the Chetak is a multi-role, seven-seater helicopter. It is highly manoeuverable and well suited for flying over sea, tropical and desert conditions.
The chopper is frequently deployed for a variety of civil and military roles.
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