New Delhi:
The Indian Air Force on Friday, in a series of tweets titled ‘Diary of Events’, talked about the sequence of events which unfolded from the time when the Pakistan Air Force craft entered the Indian territory in Jammu and Kashmir’s Nowshera sector on February 27 to Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman being made a captive in the Pakistan territory and his eventual release on Friday night. There are details of how IAF's MiG-21 Bison downed PAF's F-16.
This is the exact text of what the IAF tweeted:
On 27 Feb 19 at around 1000 hrs IAF radars detected a large package of PAF aircraft heading towards the Indian territory towards general area Jhangar. They breached the Indian airspace west of Rajauri in Sunderbani Area.
The ingressing aircraft were observed to be at various levels. IAF fighters including MiG-21 Bison, Su-30 MKI, Mirage-2000 were tasked to intercept the intruder. PAF aircraft attempting to target military installations were intercepted by IAF fighters which thwarted their plans.
#DiaryofEvents: On 27 Feb 19 at around 1000 hrs IAF radars detected a large package of PAF aircraft heading towards the Indian territory towards general area Jhangar. They breached the Indian airspace west of Rajauri in Sunderbani Area. (1/5)
— Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) March 1, 2019
Details on https://t.co/yUXMuzlovQ
Ingressing aircraft were observed to be at various levels. IAF fighters including MiG-21Bison, Su-30MKI, Mirage-2000 were tasked to intercept the intruder. PAF aircraft attempting to target military installations, were intercepted by IAF fighters & thwarted their plans. (2/5) pic.twitter.com/J2E1G8ZGQ9
— Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) March 1, 2019
Although PAF bombs have fallen in Indian Army Formation compounds however they were unable to cause any damage to our Military Installations. In the aerial combat that ensued one F-16 of PAF was shot down by an IAF MiG-21 Bison. The F-16 crashed and fell across the LOC in POJ&K.
Although PAF bombs have fallen in Indian Army Formation compounds however they were unable to cause any damage to our Military Installations.
— Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) March 1, 2019
In the aerial combat that ensued one F-16 of PAF was shot down by an IAF MiG-21 Bison. The F-16 crashed and fell across the LOC. (3/5) pic.twitter.com/bP2hXnIDd4
The IAF lost one MiG-21 in the aerial engagement & the Pilot ejected safely his parachute drifted into POJ&K where he was taken into custody by Pakistan Army.
The IAF lost one MiG-21 in the aerial engagement & the Pilot ejected safely, his parachute drifted into POJ&K where he was taken into custody by Pakistan Army. (4/5)
— Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) March 1, 2019
We have Wg Cdr Abhinandan back with us. Indian Air Force is proud of our Airwarrior #Abhinandan.
We have Wg Cdr Abhinandan back with us.
— Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) March 1, 2019
Indian Air Force is proud of our Airwarrior #Abhinandan. (5/5)#WelcomeHomeAbhinandan
Abhinandan Varthaman, IAF pilot Wing Commander who was captured by Pakistan, was handed over to officials of the Indian High Commission at Wagah border near Lahore on Friday evening. Pakistan had detained him following a fierce engagement between air forces of the two sides along the Line of Control when his MiG 21 fighter jet was downed on February 27. "Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman has been handed over to us. He will now be taken for a detailed medical checkup because he had to eject from an aircraft. The IAF is happy to have him back," said Air Vice Marshal RGK Kapoor at Attari-Wagah border.
