1999 Pakistan Breguet 1150 Atlantic shootdown
Pakistan Navy Atlantique shootdown | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Part of Indo-Pakistani wars and conflicts | |||||||
A Pakistan Navy Breguet 1150 Atlantic | |||||||
| |||||||
Belligerents | |||||||
India | Pakistan | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
(Chief of Air Staff) |
(Chief of Naval Staff) | ||||||
Units involved | |||||||
Strength | |||||||
2 MiG-21 Bis |
1 Atlantic-91N | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
None |
5 officers killed11 sailors killed |
The Atlantique incident
Foreign diplomats based in Pakistan who were escorted to the site by the Pakistan Army noted that the plane may have crossed the border. They also believed that India's reaction was unjustified.[4] Pakistan later lodged a compensation claim at the International Court of Justice, blaming India for the incident, but the court dismissed the case, ruling that it had no jurisdiction in the matter.[5][6][7]
Confrontation
The French-built Breguet Br.1150 Atlantic, c/n 33, flight Atlantic-91, of 29 Squadron, was one of the Pakistan Navy's frontline aircraft, used primarily for patrol and reconnaissance.
Claims and counterclaims
The event immediately sparked claims and counter-claims by both nations. Pakistan claimed that the plane was unarmed and the debris was found on Pakistan's side of the border,[12] and there was no violation of Indian airspace. According to the official Pakistan version of events, the plane was on a routine training mission inside Pakistan air space.[13] The Pakistani Prime Minister stated during the funeral service of the airmen that the shooting was a barbaric act.[14]
The Indian Air force claimed that the aeroplane did not respond to international protocol and that it acted in a "hostile" manner,
While Pakistan said that the plane was unarmed and the debris was within Pakistani territory, India maintained that warnings had been given to the Atlantic and that its flight trajectory meant it could have fallen on either side of the border. According to the Indian version of events, the MiGs tried to escort it to a nearby Indian base, when the Pakistani aircraft turned abruptly and tried to make a dash for the border; it was only then that it was fired upon. India claimed that the debris was found in a radius of two kilometres (1.2 mi; 1.1 nmi) on either side of the border and that the intrusion took place 10 kilometres (6.2 mi; 5.4 nmi) inside the Kori Creek, which is Indian territory. Pakistan requested that the matter be taken up in the UN. Indian officials claimed that there had been previous violations in the area and pointed out that in the previous year a Pakistani unmanned surveillance aircraft had intruded 150 kilometres (93 mi; 81 nmi) inside the Indian border, coming close to the Bhuj air base before the IAF spotted it and brought it down with several missiles.[17]
Indian analysts state "flare-ups" in the Rann of Kutch region were routine, and despite bilateral agreements, both India and Pakistan had conducted air intrusions in the past. Thus, the fact that the Atlantic was shot down, despite coming close to the Indian border, came as a surprise.[17] Indian officials add that Pakistan military aircraft had violated Indian airspace at least 50 times since January 1999, showing videotapes of Pakistani Atlantics "buzzing", or flying provocatively near the Indian Navy's warships in the Indian Ocean.[20] Some Indian analysts stated that the Atlantic was nearly destroyed in 1983 on a similar encounter and noted other close encounters and violations from Pakistani naval planes.[21][22][23]
Some experts stated that the Atlantic was probably conducting a "probe" on India's
Rise in tensions
On the day following the attack, an IAF helicopter carrying journalists to the site of the attack was attacked by the Pakistan Marines with a surface-to-air missile. Pakistani officials asserted that two Indian jets had intruded into Pakistani airspace near the Atlantic wreckage site, along the border between the Indian state of Gujarat and Pakistan's Sindh Province, and were then fired upon by Pakistan marines. No damage was recorded as the missiles missed the target. The IAF thus aborted their mission and could safely return. The helicopter carrying the journalists also returned without any damage.[20]
Following this, and the rising tensions in the area coupled by the fact that the
Lawsuit
On 21 September 1999, Pakistan lodged a compensation claim at the
On 21 June 2000, the 16-judge Bench headed by Gilbert Guillaume of France ruled, with a 14–2 verdict, upholding India's submission that the court had no jurisdiction in this matter.[5][28] Pakistan's claims were dropped, without recourse to appeal, and the outcome was seen as a decision highly favourable to India.[6][7][29] The Pakistan government had spent close to 25 million Pakistani rupees (approx. $400,000) on the case.[30]
Aftermath
In India, the incident made the two
References
- ^ "The Nation: Atlantique Downing: Creek Crisis". Archived from the original on 22 December 2008. Retrieved 31 July 2006.
- ^ "The Atlantique Incident — Part 1 of 2 - HistoricWings.com :: A Magazine for Aviators, Pilots and Adventurers". HistoricWings.com :: A Magazine for Aviators, Pilots and Adventurers - A Magazine for Aviators, Adventurers and Pilots. 10 August 2013. Retrieved 3 July 2022.
- ^ "16 dead as India shoots down Pakistani naval plane". The Independent. 23 October 2011. Archived from the original on 1 May 2022.
- ^ a b c Pakistani plane "may have crossed border" Archived 18 October 2002 at the Wayback Machine 13 August 1999 BBC Retrieved on 23 July 2007
- ^ a b ICJ's Press Communique on the verdict Archived 15 October 2016 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved on 23 July 2007.
- ^ The TribuneRetrieved on 23 July 2007
- ^ wire serviceRetrieved on 23 July 2007
- Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 23 July 2007.
- ^ a b "The Atlantique Incident". 1999 Kargil Operations. Bharat Rakshak Indian Air Force. Archived from the original on 2 February 2007. Retrieved 9 March 2007.
- Embassy of India in WashingtonRetrieved on 26 July 2007
- ^ IAF Scores a Kill !!! Factual Account of Interception Archived 22 July 2009 at the Wayback Machine – Indian Air Force official page Retrieved on 26 July 2007
- ^ a b A Moiz (1999) Core Negativity Archived 3 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine Defence Journal, September 1999 Retrieved on 26 July 2007
- ^ 21 September 1999 Application instituting proceeding Archived 3 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine Aerial Incident of 10 August 1999 (Pakistan v. India), International Court of Justice Case page Retrieved on 23 July 2007
- ^ a b c "Can't Stop the Madness". Time. Vol. 154, no. 7/8. 23–30 August 1999. Archived from the original on 16 September 2010. Retrieved 10 June 2005. Alternate URL: "ASIANOW - TIME Asia | India-Pakistan: Tit for Tat | 8/23/99". Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 2013-12-17.
- ^ IAF shoots down Pak intruder plane[permanent dead link]; Wednesday, 11 August 1999; EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE; The Indian Express Retrieved on 1 January 2010
- ^ ATLANTIQUE DOWNING: Creek Crisis – The strange encounter in the Rann of Kutch leading to the shooting down of the Pakistani Altantique sets both countries on the path of confrontation again. Archived 22 December 2008 at the Wayback Machine; By Vijay Jung Thapa; 1999/08/23; India Today Magazine
- ^ a b c d e Creek Crisis by Vijay Jung Thapa and Aahid Hussain and Uday Mahurkar Archived 22 December 2008 at the Wayback Machine 23 August 1999 India Today Retrieved on 23 July 2007
- ^ a b Agreement Between India and Pakistan on the Advance Notice of Military Exercises Archived 22 July 2009 at the Wayback Machine – Hosted on Henry L. Stimson Center Retrieved on 23 July 2007
- ^ Embassy of India in Washingtonwebpage
- ^ Washington PostRetrieved on 23 July 2007
- ^ Pakistani recce aircraft shot down (Asia-Pacific Report)by S. Mallegol Archived 4 May 2016 at the Wayback Machine Journal of Electronic Defense 1 September 1999 Retrieved on 23 July 2007
- Institute for Defence Studies and AnalysesRetrieved on 23 July 2007
- DOCRetrieved on 23 July 2007
- ^ Zehra, Nasim. "Islamabad's Post-Kargil Challenges". Defence Journal. Archived from the original on 4 March 2014. Retrieved 17 December 2013.
- Mistral missilesRetrieved on 23 July 2007
- The TribuneRetrieved on 10 September 2007
- ^ ICJ verdict on jurisdiction in Atlantique case today[usurped] 21 June 2000 – The Hindu Retrieved on 10 September 2007
- ^ Judgment of 21 June 2000 Jurisdiction of the Court Archived 5 April 2016 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved on 23 July 2007
- ^ World court blow for Pakistan Archived 28 March 2007 at the Wayback Machine BBC 21 June 2000 Retrieved on 23 July 2007
- ^ Govt comments sought in Atlantique case Archived 22 January 2010 at the Wayback Machine 17 July 2002 – Pakistan's Dawn.
- ^ Report on Bundela's critical condition who was "a national hero" – 11 June 2002 NDTV Retrieved on 23 July 2007
- ^ Vayusena Medal (VM) Archived 6 July 2008 at the Wayback Machine Bharat Rakshak Retrieved on 22 July 2007
External links
- Picture gallery of the aircraft wreckage. Retrieved 23 July 2007
- 'International_court_of_justice' Lawyers Collective magazine, September 2000 A brief report on the legal proceedings and outcomes at the ICJ from a legal perspective. Retrieved 3 November 2006