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UAE airforce plane continues to be grounded in Kolkata

September 09, 2009 14:29 IST

The stalemate still continues over the China-bound United Arab Emirates Air Force aircraft detained at the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International airport in Kolkata after arms and ammunition were found on board as the Customs authorities are yet to get green signal from the Ministry of External Affairs.

"The detained UAE airforce cargo plane will be released soon after we get clearance from the MEA," Customs and Defence sources said in Kolkata.

The C-130 Hercules aircraft has been waiting to resume its flight since past four days. An External Affairs Ministry statement on Tuesday said that the UAE authorities, both in New Delhi and Abu Dhabi, had formally regretted the omission of items carried by the aircraft and had described it as a 'technical error.'

Interrogation of the pilot and nine crew-members of the aircraft had already been completed and the customs had sent detailed reports to the external affairs ministry, airport sources said. The plane was on a scheduled transit halt in Kolkata.

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