(a) whether an Air India passenger spotted three white triangular flying objects below the plane about ten minutes before the aircraft touched down at Mumbai airport recently, if so, the details thereof;
(b) whether the mystery of suspected paragliders deepened within two weeks in a row;
(c) if so, the reasons therefor; and
(d) the effective steps the Government is taking to ensure that flying objects near airports do not distrct the attention of pilots?
Minister of State in the Ministry of CIVIL AVIATION
(Shri Jayant Sinha)
(a) An Air India pilot on 29.01.2016 reported sighting of three objects appearing to be parachutes while on its way from Mumbai to Chennai. The matter was reported to Indian Air Force and local authorities;
(b) & (c) Not applicable.;
(d) A Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for handling threats from sub- conventional aerial platform has been issued by Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) vide its OM dated 02.08.2016.