Imphal: The Indian Air Force (IAF) dispatched Rafale fighter aircraft to Imphal after claims of spotting an Unidentified Flying Object over the airport here on Sunday.
At least a few commercial flights were affected following reports of the UFO appearing around 2.30 pm here, news agency ANI reported.
‘Soon after information about the UFO near the Imphal airport was received, a Rafale fighter aircraft from a nearby airbase was scrambled to go and search for the UFO,’ ANI reported citing defence sources.
They reportedly said that the UFO was not found nevertheless aircraft equipped with advanced sensors, conducted searches in the area.
After the first aircraft returned, authorities sent one more to look for the UFO around the area.
‘The agencies concerned are trying to find out the details of the UFO as there are videos of the UFO over the Imphal airport,’ the defence sources reportedly said.
Eastern Command of the Indian Air Force, headquartered in Shillong, said that it had activated Air Defence response.
‘IAF activated its Air Defence response mechanism based on visual inputs from Imphal airport. The small object was not seen thereafter,’ Eastern Command posted on social media platform X.
The Rafale fighters, deployed at West Bengal’s Hashimara air base, keep monitoring the eastern sector along China border.
The Rafale fighters were recently part of mega Air Force Exercise held along the China border.