Indian Army Drone Falls Into Pakistani Territory After Suffering 'Technical Malfunction'

A mini unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) of the Indian Army drifted into Pakistani territory due to a 'technical malfunction' during a training flight on Friday and was found by Pakistani soldiers, the Army said in a statement. The mini UAV was on a training flight at around 9:25 am on Friday when it fell into the Nikial Sector opposite to India's Bhimber Gali sector in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch.

Following the retrieval of the UAV by the Pakistani troops, the Indian Army sent a hotline message to the Pakistani Army to return the UAV, the statement further stated.

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"At 9.25 am, a Mini UAV on a training mission well within the Indian Territory lost control due to a technical malfunction and drifted into the Nikial Sector of Pakistan opposite our Bhimber Gali Sector. As per media inputs, Pak troops have recovered the same. A hotline message has been sent to the Pakistan Army to return the said UAV," the Indian Army stated as quoted by ANI.

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The UAV, which was on a test training sortie in the hinterland in the Bhimber Gali area, developed some snag and lost control with the operator, thereby drifting into the other side of the LoC, they said. It is believed to have fallen into the Nikial belt on the other side of the LoC and was recovered by troops there.