CHENNAI, Nov 27: Indian authorities have reportedly sought an explanation from the United States on a flight by a US military helicopter near a high-profile nuclear facility in the country’s south, officials said on Tuesday.

They said the reconnaissance helicopter took off from the American warship USS John Young on Monday and cruised around the state-owned Kalpakkam nuclear power station, 100 kilometres south from Chennai on the seashore.

In New Delhi, the foreign ministry said it would comment after ascertaining details of the flight from the deck of John Young, which docked off Chennai on Monday to refuel before returning to join the Seventh Fleet, engaged in the Afghan conflict.

The Indian defence ministry refused to comment on the flight, although air traffic controllers confirmed the flight and described it as “unauthorized.”

They said the aircraft, one of two helicopters on board the 300-crew American ship, flew for almost three hours before being spotted.

The National Airports Division, which ensures flight safety, in a report to New Delhi said the US helicopter failed to establish “even the mandatory radio contact” despite being asked by air controllers in Madras, an official source said.

The agency said the helicopter flew for two hours and 47 minutes above the Bay of Bengal.

“This being the case, this chopper could have caused a major mishap,” said an official from the agency.

The US Consulate here said the chopper was “on a routine flight for maintaining pilot proficiency.”

India’s civil aviation authority and the military have, however, sought an explanation from the American mission about the pre-dawn flight, said Indran Amirthanayagam, the spokesman at of the US consulate.

The US warship, however, insisted it had not violated local rules.

“We had provided significant information about our helicopter operations to the right people and I am not aware of any violation. It was part of a routine and scheduled operation,” Geoffrey Pack, captain of the ship, told reporters on board John Young.

“We operate under all prescribed directions (but) we do not normally discuss missions.”

India, which is part of the US-led coalition against terrorism, has offered berthing and refuelling facilities to American ships and aircraft.—AFP