Back off!! The Atlantique incident was a major international incident on 10 August 1999 where a Pakistan Navy plane (Breguet Atlantique) with 16 on board was shot down in the border area of the Kutch region with Pakistan and India both claiming the aircraft to be in their respective airspace by Indian Air Force jets. [17] India displayed part of the wreckage of the Pakistani naval aircraft at New Delhi airport the next day. India and Pakistan both claim that the Atlantique shootdown occurred over their own territory. According to the official Pakistan version of events, the plane was on a routine training mission inside Pakistan air space. [1], The naval aviation branch is responsible for conducting the land-based strike capability, fleet air defence, evacuation and extraction, search and rescue, maritime reconnaissance, and anti-submarine warfare. :63–66[3], The Navy had been long aware of the usefulness and tactical advantages of the air-wing after witnessing the United States Naval Aviators' actions in the Vietnam War, and the V-Adm. Muzaffar Hassan, the Navy Commander, had been made attempts to establish the naval aviation but this was impossible to achieve in the absence of generous support from the outside sources. [7] At 11:17 am IST (10:47 am PKT), nearly two hours after takeoff from Pakistan, the Atlantic was intercepted and an infrared homing R-60 air-to-air missile was fired at it by Squadron Leader P.K. According to the official Pakistan version of events, the plane was on a routine training mission inside Pakistan air space. Creek Crisis by Vijay Jung Thapa and Aahid Hussain and Uday Mahurkar, Agreement Between India and Pakistan on the Advance Notice of Military Exercises, Atlantic mission had been cleared at the highest levels By Air Commodore Jasjit Singh, Pakistan Attacks Indian Aircraft in Border Region By Pamela Constable and Kamran Khan, Pakistani recce aircraft shot down (Asia-Pacific Report)by S. Mallegol, Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses, Confidence Building Measures in South Asia – The Maritime Angle, ICJ verdict on jurisdiction in Atlantique case today, Judgment of 21 June 2000 Jurisdiction of the Court, Report on Bundela's critical condition who was "a national hero". On 10 August 1999, a Breguet Atlantic maritime patrol aircraft of the Pakistan Naval Air Arm was shot down by a MiG 21 fighter of the Indian Air Force over the Rann of Kutch, on the border between India and Pakistan. 46 membres de la Réserve centrale des forces de police et le terroriste sont tués dans l'attaque. Air facilities. Pakistan sought about US$60 million in reparations from India and compensation for the victims' families. After the second war with India in 1965, the concept of establishing the navy-based aviation service was conceived by the Pakistan Navy who forwarded the idea to the Government of Pakistan as part of the war strategy to sustain the purely defence of nation's maritime interests. According to the Indian version of events, the MiGs tried to escort it to a nearby Indian base, when the Pakistani aircraft turned abruptly and tried to make a dash for the border; it was only then that it was fired upon. The Atlantique ATL3 maritime patrol aircraft, successor to the Atlantique ATL1 and ATL2, incorporates an enhanced weapon. An Atlantique plane belonging to the Italian Navy. On 10 August 1999, 20 years ago, an Indian Air Force MiG-21 shot down a Pakistan Navy Dassault ‘Atlantique’ over the Rann of Kutch. On 6 October 2020, the Pakistan Navy announced the selection of the Lineage 1000 to replace its P-3C Orion in the maritime patrol role, This page was last edited on 16 February 2021, at 07:17. India also alleged that the plane violated a bilateral agreement, signed by India and Pakistan in 1991, under which no military aircraft were to come within 10 km of the border[16] (although Pakistan claimed the Atlantic was not a combat aircraft). :63[6] The lack of funds and donations from the United States Navy, the concept was never materialized though the Navy entered in talks with the United States Government of transferring the three to four Lockheed P-3 Orion aircraft before the third war with India in 1971.:64[6], After the first missile attack in Karachi in 1971, the Navy hastily established the naval air arm by leasing a civilian aircraft, the Fokker F27, from the Pakistan International Airlines whose pilots volunteered to carry the naval observers on a maritime reconnaissance on 6 December 1971. [6] Atlantic-91 left Mehran naval base in Pakistan at 9:15 am PKT (9:45 IST). All 16 personnel on board the Atlantic-91, including five officers of the Pakistan Navy, were killed.”. L'orthographe du nom de l'avion a été modifiée par le président de la République François Mitterrand (Atlantique au lieu de Atlantic) afin de marquer la différence avec le Bréguet Atlantic 1150, premier du nom, issu d'un programme de l'OTAN, alors que l'Atlantique 2 est purement français. [18], On 22 May 2011, Tehreek-i-Taliban attacked the PNS Mehran naval base and destroyed P-3C Orion aircraft. [2] Early in its inception the Naval Air Arm was dependent upon the Air Force and the Army to meet its training requirement of air and ground crew.[1]. The IAF thus aborted their mission and could safely return. Transport Aircraft: Y-11 / Y12: CN-235: C-130 Hercules: Trainer Aircraft: A-37 Dragonfly: K-8 Karakorum: Helicopters: Alouette III: SA.330L Puma: 206 Jet Ranger: AH-1 Cobra: UH-1 Huey: Mi-8 / 17 Hip: Sea King: Lynx: Special Purpose Aircraft: Bregut Atlantique: P-3 Orion The Atlantique Incident was a major international incident that occurred on 10 August 1999 when a Pakistan Naval Air Arm patrol aircraft—a Breguet Atlantique with 16 personnel on board—was shot down in the border area of the Kutch region by Indian Air Force jets. $400,000) on the case. [2] Pakistan later lodged a compensation claim at the International Court of Justice, blaming India for the incident, but the court dismissed the case, ruling that the Court had no jurisdiction in the matter. [25] In the buildup to the case, India also contended that Pakistan had violated the 1991 bilateral agreement between Pakistan and India on air violations, which states: "Combat aircraft (including, Bombers, Reconnaissance aircraft, Jet military trainers and Armed helicopters) will not fly within 10 km of each other's airspace including air defence identification zone. ATL3 on patrol. Guerre indo-pakistanaise Batailles Torpillage du Khukri * Opération Trident (1971) * Opération Python (1971) modifier La troisième guerre indo-pakistanaise , qui eut lieu en décembre 1971, aboutit à l'indépendance du Pakistan oriental sous le nom de Bangladesh . The Atlantique aircraft was conducting scheduled instrument flight training. The Pakistani aircraft was still 5 km south of the international border on the Indian side. India's attorney general, Soli Sorabjee, argued that the court did not have jurisdiction,[24] citing an exemption it filed in 1974 to exclude disputes between India and other Commonwealth States, and disputes covered by multi-lateral treaties. [9], The event immediately sparked claims and counter-claims by both nations. [19][20][21], Some experts stated that the Atlantic was probably conducting a "probe" on India's air defence system, mainly the radar equipment in the border area; they advised that it was not part of any planned aggressive military action by Pakistan. [14][15] Pakistan's claims were dropped, without recourse to appeal, and the outcome was seen as a decision highly favourable to India. It doesn't matter even if it was a mistake!! India's attorney general, Soli Sorabjee, argued that the court did not have jurisdiction,[13] citing an exemption it filed in 1974 to exclude disputes between India and other Commonwealth States, and disputes covered by multi-lateral treaties. The general area of operation . [16][17] The Pakistan government had spent close to 25 million Pakistani rupees (approx. The Pakistan Naval Air Arm fleet stationed at PNS Mehran includes P-3C Orion Long Range Maritime Patrol (LRMP) aircraft, Atlantique LRMPs, F-27 Fokker LRMPs, Sea King helicopters and Alouette helicopters. The downed Pakistan Navy plane was an identical one. [23] Coming barely weeks after the Kargil Conflict where both nuclear armed countries fought high altitude warfare, this incident was seen with growing concern around the world. [34], With the acquiring of the Tariq-class destroyers from the Royal Navy, the Navy was additionally able to acquire three Westland Lynx utility helicopters which were inducted into the 222 ASW Squadron. The goods were donated by the Republic of Slovakia. The event immediately sparked claims and counter-claims by both nations. Pakistan claimed that the plane was unarmed and the debris was found on Pakistan's side of the border, and there was no violation of Indian airspace. The French-built Breguet Atlantic, c/n 33, flight Atlantic-91, of 29 Squadron, was one of the Pakistan Navy’s frontline aircraft, used primarily for patrol and reconnaissance. Factual Account of Interception, 21 September 1999 Application instituting proceeding. [15][29] On 8 October 2000, the prestigious Vayusena medal was awarded to Squadron Leader P. K. Bundela. [8], In 1973, the Navy entered into talks with France to acquire the Breguet Atlantic aircraft for its patrolling missions,:40[37] and acquired the aircraft on 14 August 1976, that established the 29 ASW Atlantic Squadron and is tasked with maritime reconnaissance missions. [2] Many countries, the G8, the permanent members of the UN Security Council, as well as the western media questioned the wisdom behind Pakistan's decision to fly military aircraft so close to the Indian border. [7] Two IAF MiG-21 interceptor aircraft of No. [15] [2] Indian experts also questioned why a training mission was being carried out so close to the border, when all air forces conduct training flights in clearly demarcated training areas located well away from international boundaries. “The Pakistan Aircraft was about 10 km inside our territory. [3][4][5], The French-built Breguet Br.1150 Atlantic, c/n 33, flight Atlantic-91, of 29 Squadron, was one of the Pakistan Navy's frontline aircraft, used primarily for patrol and reconnaissance. The wreckage of the Atlantique was discovered around 1455 hrs scattered across the area of a radius of one square kilometre. Picture gallery of the aircraft wreckage. Pakistan in its Application of 21 September 1999 claims: "On the 10th day of August 1999 an unarmed Atlantique aircraft of the Pakistan navy was on a routine training mission with sixteen personnel on board. The shooting down of the aircraft by Indian MiG fighters will increase tension, still high since Pakistan-backed militants pulled back from their positions near Kargil in Kashmir. The Squadron drew blood again on '10 Aug 1999. when it shot down an intruding Atlantique aircraft of Pakistan Air Force in the Kutch sector. [28], In India, the incident made the two pilots of the MiG-21s into instant heroes. In 1999, a Pakistan Navy Atlantic was shot down by Indian Air Force MiG-21s after they failed to force it to land at an Indian base, raising tensions in the r… Pour la Franc… [22], On the day following the attack, an IAF helicopter carrying journalists to the site of the attack was attacked by the Pakistan Marines with a surface-to-air missile. “The Pakistan Aircraft was about 10 km inside our territory. No damage was recorded as the missiles miss the target. Part of the wreckage was found in contested territory, this incident is widely known as the Atlantique incident. [4][5][27] The Pakistan government had spent close to 25 million Pakistani rupees (approx. "unarmed Atlantique aircraft of the Pakistan navy was on a routine training mission with sixteen personnel on board" when "while flying over Pakistan air space it was fired upon with air to air missiles by lndian air force planes, without waming", resulting in the death of ali 16 personnel, "mostly young naval trainees". A NATO Trainer Cargo Aircraft departed Geilenkirchen airbase in Germany on Sunday 22 August with humanitarian aid to Pakistan. Bandy and Nanu closed in and read the tail number of Atlantique,” Group Captain Sharma said. [3][26] Pakistan's claims were dropped, without recourse to appeal, and the outcome was seen as a decision highly favourable to India. [7] Cdre. Seconds before impact - An IAF R-60 air-to-air missile flies towards the Pakistan Navy Atlantique shot down in August 1999. Le bras de fer militaire de 2019 entre l'Inde et le Pakistan commence6 à la mi-février 2019, lorsqu'un convoi de la Réserve centrale des forces de police indienne (en), transportant du personnel de sécurité sur la route nationale de Jammu Srinagar, subit une attaque kamikaze avec un véhicule piégé, à Lethpora (près d'Awantipora) dans le district de Pulwama, Jammu-et-Cachemire, en Inde. Their primary role is anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare. [12] Pakistan sent a company of marines, equipped with both laser guided and infrared homing shoulder-fired surface-to-air missiles, to the site near the border. The German Navy's Breguet 1150 Atlantique. The version that Pakistan carries a 3.5 tons of modern weapon load including bombs and air to surface missiles besides weapons specifically meant for anti-ship and anti-submarine role. The medal was also awarded to Wing Commander V. S. Sharma (the fighter controller who tracked the Atlantic, guided the pilot and ordered him to attack the plane) and Squadron Leader Pankaj Vishnoi, the helicopter pilot who recovered a part of the Atlantic's debris from the marshy border regions of the Rann. The Atlantique Incident was an event in which a Pakistan Navy's Naval Air Arm Breguet Atlantique patrol plane, carrying 16 people on board, was shot down by the Indian Air Force for alleged violation of airspace. Foreign diplomats based in Pakistan escorted to the site by the Pakistan Army noted that the plane may have crossed the border. Virgin Atlantic flights to Pakistan take you to a region of astonishing ethnic diversity and immense natural beauty. much of it still practically untouched by mainstream tourism. Meanwhile, Nanu gained height to keep Bandy's tail clear while Bandy kept closing in to a distance close enough to call out the tail markings of the intercepted aircraft. The US State Department termed the subcontinent as being in a state of "continued high-stakes tension. [8] In 1977, the 333 ASW squadron was established with the induction of the Aérospatiale Alouette II and the Alouette III rotary aircraft, in which the first group of naval aviators were trained in France. In describing the incident Wednesday, Pakistani officials asserted that two Indian jets had intruded in midafternoon into Pakistani airspace near the Atlantique wreckage site, along the border between India's Gujarat State and Pakistan's Sindh Province, and were then fired upon by Pakistan. Pakistan on 21st September 1999 before the Court are as follows: On the 10th day of August 1999 the unarmed 'Atlantique' aircraft of the Pakistan Navy was on a routine training mission with sixteen personnel on board. "[12], On 21 September 1999, Pakistan lodged a compensation claim at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague, accusing India of shooting down a military aircraft. Thus, the fact that the Atlantic was shot down, despite coming close to the Indian border, came as a surprise. The wreckage of the plane was about 2 km inside Pakistan territory which is a clear proof that when the aircraft was shot it was well within Pakistan's air space. $400,000) on the case. The track was moving at a speed of … The Royal Netherlands Navy lost three Atlantics out of nine aircraft in a series of failures over the Atlantic Ocean, resulting in the grounding of the type in 1981 and its eventual replacement by the P-3 Orion. Karachi Shipyard and Engineering Works Ltd. National Engineering and Scientific Commission, Pakistan International Airlines Flight 17, Pakistan International Airlines Flight 631, Pakistan International Airlines Flight 740, Pakistan International Airlines Flight 404, Pakistan International Airlines Flight 544 hijacking, Pakistan Navy Breguet Atlantique shoot-down, Pakistan International Airlines Flight 688, Pakistan International Airlines Flight 661, Pakistan International Airlines Flight 8303, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pakistan_Navy_Atlantic_shootdown&oldid=1005070894, Accidents and incidents involving military aircraft, Aviation accidents and incidents in India, 20th-century aircraft shootdown incidents, Articles with dead external links from July 2016, Articles with permanently dead external links, All Wikipedia articles written in Indian English, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 5 February 2021, at 21:04. INDIAN AIR force jets shot down a Pakistani naval patrol aircraft yesterday, killing all 16 aboard, after claiming it had strayed over the international border. [15], Indian analysts state "flare-ups" in the Rann of Kutch region were routine, and despite bilateral agreements, both India and Pakistan had conducted air intrusions in the past. 45 Squadron, from the Indian airbase at Naliya in the Kutch region, were scrambled. The German Atlantics were also replaced by former Dutch P-3 Orions. [19], To be replaced by Embraer Lineage 1000E MPA, German company Rheinland Air Services (RAS) upgraded the ATR-72-500 into MPA aircraft[23][24][25], Westland Sea King serves with Type 21 Tariq-class destroyer, Westland lynx serves with PNS Alamgir (F-260) frigate, Harbin Z-9 serves with F-22P Zulfiquar-class frigate, The 111 ASW Squadron, which consists of the Sea King, is primarily programmed for missile launch capability targeting dived submarines and releasing depth charges. Atlantique 2, one of 28 ordered by the French Navy. "[16], On 21 June 2000, the 16-judge Bench headed by Gilbert Guillaume of France ruled, with a 14–2 verdict, upholding India's submission that the court had no jurisdiction in this matter. Pakistan dismissed India’s claims and said it was an unarmed aircraft … None of the aircraft was hit. He fired an R-60 air-to-air missile that hit the Atlantique’s left engine at around 11.17 am. On 21 September 1999, Pakistan lodged a compensation claim at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague, accusing India of shooting down an unarmed aircraft. Routine mission, debris on our side: Pakistan. The Pakistani aircraft was still 5 km south of the international border on the Indian side. Routine mission, debris on our side: Pakistan. The Pakistan Naval Air Arm (unofficially: Pakistan Naval Aviation) is the naval aviation branch within the Pakistan Navy that is responsible for aerial operations from the seaborne platform. India claimed that the debris was found in a radius of 2 km on either side of the border and that the intrusion took place 10 km inside the Kori Creek, which is Indian territory. This had been what triggered the two MiG-21 fighter interceptors to scramble. [30], Aviation accidents and incidents in Pakistan, permanent members of the UN Security Council, Pakistani plane "may have crossed border", Pakistan dismayed over verdict: ICJ refuses to hear Atlantique case, IAF Scores a Kill !!! Pakistan stated that the wreckage was removed from its side of the border by Indian helicopters. [15] Indian officials add that Pakistan military aircraft had violated Indian airspace at least 50 times since January 1999, showing videotapes of Pakistani Atlantics "buzzing", or flying provocatively near the Indian Navy's warships in the Indian Ocean. ATL3 on patrol. Undated letter but probably late February 1959 and written in response to Dickson's letter, Last edited on 16 February 2021, at 07:17, Pakistan Armed Forces deployments in Saudi Arabia, "Trident, Grandslam and Python: Attacks on Karachi", "South Asia | Pakistani plane 'may have crossed border, "Cour internationale de Justice | International Court of Justice", "Case Concerning the Aerial Incident of 10 August 1999", "The Tribune, Chandigarh, India – Main News", "SOUTH ASIA | World court blow for Pakistan", "Govt comments sought in Atlantique case – Newspaper", "Taliban destroy two Pakistan navy P-3Cs", "Pakistan Navy ATR72 at Mönchengladbach Germany for conversion into a Sea Eagle", https://www.janes.com/amp/pakistan-navy-receives-second-atr-72-mpa/ZnlJK3dHVU9mZ28xajRJVkc5dVI5VFp1cVMwPQ2, https://www.naval-technology.com/news/ras-delivers-second-ras-72-sea-eagle-aircraft-to-pakistan-navy/, https://www.defensenews.com/naval/2020/10/26/pakistani-navy-confirms-brazilian-jetliner-will-replace-orion-patrol-aircraft/, https://www.shephardmedia.com/news/air-warfare/premium-pakistan-settles-commercial-mpa-airframe/, https://quwa.org/2020/10/18/analysis-pakistan-navys-new-lrmpa-project-2/, https://www.defensenews.com/naval/2020/10/14/outgoing-pakistan-navy-chief-reveals-details-of-modernization-programs/, http://www.suasnews.com/2012/06/17197/luna-uas-for-pakistan-navy/, https://www.defenseworld.net/news/16955/Pakistan_Navy_Inducts_Boeing_Scaneagle_UAV__ATR_Transport_Plane#.X4bk86Jsa2c, https://dunyanews.tv/en/Pakistan/351535-Pak-Navy-gets-third-ATR-aircraft-Scan-Eagle-Unman, Pakistan Naval Aviation (Pakistan), Military census, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pakistan_Naval_Air_Arm&oldid=1007058179, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, 10 on ordered. On 01 Jul 2016. the 'Flying Daggers' became the first squadron in the world to induct the indigenous LCATejas Mk 1. A. W. Bhomba, the senior forward observer, mistakenly identified his own ship, PNS Zulfiqar forming defences at that time, and gave clearance to the Pakistan Air Force to carry out the bombing mission to target the ship– a friendly fire incident that further hampered Navy's operational scope. Brave crew of Pakistan Navy's Atlantique Aircraft - YouTube The Commander Naval Aviation (COMNAV) command is usually held by a senior officer of Commodore rank who directs the field operations of the naval aviation. [11] The Pakistani Prime Minister stated during the funeral service of the airmen that the shooting was a barbaric act. The episode took place just a month after the Kargil War, aggravating already tense relations between the two countries. [8] After a series of manoeuvres—with conflicting versions of events from both sides—the two jets were given clearance to shoot down the Pakistani plane. Atlantique 2, one of 28 ordered by the French Navy. On 21 June 2000, the 16-judge Bench headed by Gilbert Guillaume of France ruled—with a 14–2 verdict—upholding India's submission that the court had no jurisdiction in this matter. Their primary role is anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare. Pakistan claimed that the plane was unarmed and the debris was found on Pakistan's side of the border,[10] and there was no violation of Indian airspace. Wreckage recovered. While flying over Pakistan airspace from 10:30 a.m. to 10:55 a.m. it was fired upon with air to air missiles by Indian air After the second war with India in 1965, the concept of establishing the navy-based aviation service was conceived by the Pakistan Navy who forwarded the idea to the Government of Pakistan as part of the war strategy to sustain the purely defence of nation's maritime interests. On 10 Aug 99 at 10:51 hrs IST an IAF ground radar picked up an aircraft track inside Sind region of Pakistan near Badin, approaching the Indo-Pakistan international border (IB) on a South-Easterly course. The aircraft was shot down killing all 16 Pakistani Navy personnel on board. From December, we’ll be flying four times a week from London Heathrow to Lahore, three times a week from Heathrow to Islamabad, and four times weekly from Manchester to Islamabad. The German Navy's Breguet 1150 Atlantique. [38], In 1982, the 27 ASW Squadron was established with the induction of the Fokker F-27 aircraft, followed by the acquiring of the P-3C Orion aircraft in 1996 after a long delay due to the imposition of the Pressler Amendment in 1990.:152[6] The P-3C Orion gave the Navy strike capability but one of these planes was lost due to an accident while carrying out routine exercises in local coastal waters on 29 October 1999.:263[39], Previously operated aircraft include the Harbin Y-12, Breguet Atlantic and the Sikorsky UH-19[35][40][41], See Mountbatten to Marshal of the Royal Air Force Sir William Dickson (Chief of Defence Staff) . ATLANTIQUE DOWNING: Creek Crisis – The strange encounter in the Rann of Kutch leading to the shooting down of the Pakistani Altantique sets both countries on the path of confrontation again. [10], While Pakistan said that the plane was unarmed and the debris was within Pakistani territory, India maintained that warnings had been given to the Atlantic and that its flight trajectory meant it could have fallen on either side of the border. The Pakistani Prime Minister stated during the funeral service of the airmen that the shooting was a barbaric act. [15] Indian sources also stated that Pakistan's Information Minister, Mushahid Hussein, was initially quoted as saying that the aircraft was on a surveillance mission. At this stage all the blips had merged into one. He fired an R-60 air-to-air missile that hit the Atlantique’s left engine at around 11.17 am. [11] Many countries, the G8, the permanent members of the UN Security Council, as well as the western media questioned the wisdom behind Pakistan's decision to fly military aircraft so close to the Indian border.[12]. This listing allows you to trace back a particular nation's aviation history in reverse-chronological order. Some experts stated that the Atlantique was probably conducting a "probe" on India's air defence system, mainly the radar equipment in the border area; however, they advised that it was not part of any planned aggressive military action by Pakistan. Le mouvement Jaish-e-M… Indian Air Force ground radar picked up the plane as it approached the India-Pakistan border. Pakistan and India both claimed the aircraft to be in their respective airspace. PNS Mehran has a single runway to support the operations of P-3C Orion, Atlantique and F-27 Fokker aircraft. [7], After the third war with India in 1971, the Air Arm continued to exists and was able to induct the Sea King helicopters from the United Kingdom through the transfers from the Royal Navy on 28 September 1974– this led to the establishment of the 111 ASW Squadron in the Naval Aviation. Flights to Pakistan. It will deliver relief goods such as water pumps, power generators and tents. Bandy and Nanu closed in and read the tail number of Atlantique,” Group Captain Sharma said. While flying over Pakistan air space it was fired upon with air to air missiles by lndian air force planes, without warning. The helicopter carrying the journalists also returned without any damage. Pakistan dismissed India’s claims and said it was an unarmed aircraft on a routine training mission. There are a total of [ 100 ] aircraft as part of the Pakistan Aircraft List (Current and Former Types) in the Military Factory. Pakistani officials asserted that two Indian jets had intruded into Pakistani airspace near the Atlantic wreckage site, along the border between the Indian state of Gujarat and Pakistan's Sindh Province, and were then fired upon by Pakistan marines. [18], Following this, and the rising tensions in the area coupled by the fact that the Sir Creek was a disputed territory, both the countries' militaries near the Rann of Kutch and nearby were put on high alert. This is what happens if u enter indian air space!! Pakistan requested that the matter be taken up in the UN. Indian officials claimed that there had been previous violations in the area and pointed out that in the previous year a Pakistani unmanned surveillance aircraft had intruded 150 km inside the Indian border, coming close to the Bhuj air base before the IAF spotted it and brought it down with several missiles. The Squadron was number plated in Dec 2002 and was resurrected in Dec 2013. This disputed region is known for the Atlantique Incident which occurred on August 1999. Inadvertently, the Pakistani aircraft, a naval Atlantique type that was outfitted for electronics reconnaissance operations, had crossed the border for a minute or so before turning back north into Pakistani territory. This resulted in the aircraft going out of control and spiralling down, crashing at approximately 1130 hours IST, at the approximate location 23°54′N 68°16′E. The German Marinefliegeroperated their fleet from 1963 to 2005, losing one in an accident. [18] Foreign diplomats who visited the crash site noted that the plane "may have strayed into restricted space", and that Islamabad was unable to explain why it was flying so close to the border; they added that India's reaction to the incident was not justified. The base is also equipped with hangars and maintenance … The episode took place in the Rann of Kutch on 10 August 1999, just a month after the Kargil War, creating a tense atmosphere between India and Pakistan. Nanu, number two, identified the Target as Pakistan Naval Atlantique as it crossed the IB on a southerly heading. [35], In 2006, the Navy established the 222 ASW squadron with the introduction of the Harbin Z-9 which is equipped with sensors and radars to support its ESM measures. Radar contact was maintained with the aircraft until it was lost at 1055 hrs. [10] Foreign diplomats who visited the crash site noted that the plane "may have strayed into restricted space", and that Islamabad was unable to explain why it was flying so close to the border; they however added that India's reaction to the incident was not justified.