Alliance plane remains incommunicado, IAF scrambles Mirage2000

NEW DELHI: Indian Air Force had to scramble a Mirage2000 fighter jet to intercept a Delhi-bound commercial flight after its contact with air traffic control was lost due to malfunctioning of the plane's communication system.

The incident, which happened last evening, led to tense moments for about 20 minutes at the Joint Control and Analysis Centre (JCAC) here.

An Alliance Air ATR aircraft (operating as flight 9062) communication system malfunctioned while it was on its way to Delhi from Allahabad, official sources said.

When JCAC tried to contact the plane, it could not, they said.

As a precautionary measure, and as per Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), the IAF was informed at 16:38.

"Acting with alacrity, the IAF scrambled a Mirage 2000 from its Gwalior base. 15 minutes after departure and as it was just about to intercept, the IAF received information that the communication line has been established and that the aircraft has been identified as an Alliance plane," sources said.

Alliance Air is the regional carrier of Air India. Following this, they said, the fighter aircraft was pulled back. Alliance Air could not be immediately reached for a comment.