US plane allowed to depart; unlikely to take-off today

The US aircraft with 205 passengers which was forced to land at Mumbai airport for entering Indian airspace without mandatory clearance is unlikely to take-off today due to the pilot's duty time limitation.

The US aircraft which was forced to land at Mumbai airport for entering Indian airspace without mandatory clearance is unlikely to take-off today due to the pilot's duty time limitation.

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"The aircraft will not take-off today as the pilot has crossed his flying duty hours," a spokesperson of Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL) told PTI in Mumbai.

The US Embassy was arranging for visa documents of the 205 passengers on-board.

"The US Embassy is arranging for visa, immigration and staying facilities for all the passengers," the spokesperson said.

Meanwhile, Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is looking into the legal and technical issues involved in issuance of a fresh YA number (Yankee Alfa number required for civilian aircrafts to fly on international routes) to the US aircraft. "We are examining whether a fresh YA number can be issued or not," a DGCA source said.

The US chartered plane with 205 passengers, including US Marine commandos, on board was on its way from Fujiriah in Middle East to Bangkok when it was forced to land in Mumbai while overflying Indian airspace.