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Officials seek ISRO help to ascertain grounded US plane's 'spying mission'

Mystery and confusion continued to shroud the American plane, grounded at the Sardar Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad since March 17, which failed to take off until afternoon today.

The police, however, describe the episode virtually "closed", and the airport authorities remained tight-lipped over the entire episode.

According to Gujarat director-general of police C P Singh, nothing objectionable had been found on the plane and the police probe into the matter was over.

However, a separate probe was reported to be in progress into whether the camera found on the aircraft may have been used in taking photographs of "restricted areas" at low altitude. Gujarat minister of state for home Haren Pandya had, last night, said the authorities had contacted the Indian Space Research Organisation for the purpose.

Official sources said, ''Although preliminary investigation made by the airport authorities did not indicate the two-member crew was involved in any spying activity, we have contacted ISRO to look into the matter.''

The camera found on the aircraft was 'not operational', the sources said.

The airport authorities did not allow the press and photographers to go near the aircraft nor did they reply to any queries.

Meanwhile, the two crew members, including a woman, remained at a five-star hotel near the airport where they were put up by the airport authorities until the probe lasted.

It was still not clear whether the private aircraft belonging to an American company had officially taken off from Calcutta for its flight to Karachi.

Permission from the central government and the aviation ministry for the aircraft's take-off was awaited as investigation was in progress.

UNI

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