February 4, 2003	Tuesday	Zul Hijjah 2,1423

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NEW DELHI, Feb 3: India on Monday detained a US civilian aircraft, overflying Indian airspace, enroute from Karachi to Male, news reports said.

Press Trust of India did not give details of the ownership of the plane but said it was grounded on Monday night at the Mumbai airport as it did not have necessary permission.

Airport Director Sunil Kumar told PTI that the pilot and the co-pilot of the US registered 757-Boeing aircraft, flying from Karachi to Male, were being interrogated. It was not clear if the immediate provocation for the detention of the plane stemmed from the fact that India and Pakistan have closed their airspace to each other’s flights.

Reports said an unauthorised American plane had flown low over Chennai recently causing panic there.—J.N.