Imphal : Air traffic at Manipur’s Bir Tikendrajit International Airport was halted for over three hours on Sunday afternoon after an unidentified flying object was sighted hovering the airport.
Operations resumed after a security investigation and safety confirmations by the competent authorities.
“Due to sighting of an unidentified flying object within Imphal controlled airspace, two flights have been diverted and three departing flights have been delayed. Flight operations commence after receipt of clearance from the competent authority,” Airport Director Chipemmi Keishing said in a statement.
An airport official said the UFO was sighted hovering the airport by Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel and at around 2.30 pm, the Air Traffic Control halted the operations in the airport.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), which is a statutory body of the government to regulate civil aviation in India, is yet to issue is clarification on the identity and motive of the object.
However sources said the DGCA and Indian Air Force are jointly looking into it.
The diverted flights included an Indigo flight from Kolkata which was initially instructed “to hold overhead” and was diverted to Guwahati after 25 minutes.
The delayed flights however left Imphal airport after receiving clearance late after around three hours.
