Article Posted on : - Aug 14, 2014

PANAJI (PTI): The Indian Navy on Wednesday conducted mock anti-hijack exercise at Dabolim airport here to check the preparedness and response of military and various civil agencies in the event of the landing of a hijacked plane.

A naval spokesman said that the mock drill was held under the aegis of the Commanding Officer of Naval Air Station INS Hansa, who is also the chairman of aerodrome committee.

During the exercise, the pilot of the pseudo-named Qatar Airbus 320 called the duty air traffic controller at Dabolim airfield stating that the aircraft had been hijacked by anti-national elements.

Stating that the hijackers had made a number of demands, the pilot sought permission of the authorities to land at Dabolim airfield, the naval spokesman said.

Various members of the aerodrome committee, including psychiatrists, linguists, members of civil administration, airline operators and naval personnel assembled at INS Hansa.

"Various simulated situations were created to activate concerned agencies like civil hospitals, fire service, police, traffic police and airlines. A media and information facilitation cell was established at the civil airport," the spokesman said.

The panel simulated the process of initial negotiations with the hijackers. "The skill of the committee to negotiate according to the developing situation was exercised by creating near real time situations like casualties, injuries, bomb scare, demands of hijackers and others."

The spokesman said the entire exercise that commenced at 08.40 am ended at 10.54 am.

"The exercise achieved its aim in totality by strengthening the coordination between various agencies involved in handling the simulated near real time situation," the spokesman added.