08 September,2009 12:14 PM IST | | PTI
The China-bound UAE Air Force cargo plane continues to be cordoned off by the army at the NSC Bose International airport here even as the MEA has been informed of the arms and ammunition in it.
The interrogation of its 10 crew members was over and they have been shifted to another hotel for security reasons, airport officials said on Tuesday.
"The decision to allow the plane to take off from here will be taken by the Ministry of External Affairs, which is in touch with the UAE government. It is not certain when it would be permitted to take off," the officials said.
The plane is parked at bay number 14 under tight cordon by army jawans and no one is allowed to go near it, they said. The C-130 plane was on its way to Hanyang in China from Abu Dhabi when it landed at the NSC Bose International airport for refuelling at 5:30 pm on Sunday.
The arms and ammunition were detected in it during the routine physical check following which the plane and the crew on board were detained for detailed interrogation, customs authorities said.
The UAE plane was granted permission to land by the Indian Air Force after the Air Traffic Control contacted the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, which asked it to get in touch with the IAF.
