UAE Air Force Plane Detained in Kolkata; Freed

A UAE Air Force aircraft, with nine crew members aboard, was detained in Kolkata on Sunday.

Bound for Hanyang in China from Abu Dhabi, the aircraft was allegedly carrying a large accumulation with arms and ammunitions.

The aircraft landed at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata with a view to refuel but was detained later.

According to reports, it was found during the customary checking of the plane that a store of arms and ammunitions was stockpiled inside it.

Subsequently, the Airport Authority of India was informed and because the crew members of the plane had not told the Indian authorities about the arms, the flight was cancelled and the crew members were detained.

However, later in the night a meeting was held among the airport authorities, custom officials, senior air force officers and the UAE crew and the aircraft was allowed to resume the flight on Monday morning.