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Narrow escape for Russian Defence Minister at Indra 2005

2005-10-16 A major accident was averted at the joint Indo-Russian exercises here today, when a paradropped vehicle landed close to the stand where the Russian Defence Minister Sergei Ivanov and the Indian top brass were sitting.

Four Army jeeps, mounted with anti-tank guided 'Milan' missile system, dropped by IAF An-32s in the first drop of the exercise, went off course due to unexpected gust of winds. Though one landed in the proper drop zone, the other three overshot with one sailing precariously close to the viewstand where Mr Ivanov, Army chief Gen JJ Singh, IAF chief Air Chief Marshal S P Tyagi, Russian Ambassador Vyacheslav Trubnikov and other dignitaries were sitting.

The entire gathering rushed out of the stand as the 24th Infantry Division GOC Maj Gen R S Sujlana, who was given a presentation, noticed the danger and gave the warning.

However, the load crossed the stand and came to land well behind it, perfectly camouflaged between two sand dunes. The other two vehicles landed well behind the VIP and media stands.

Mr Ivanov made light of the incident.

"The situation was supposed to be of a conflict zone. Might I say there are no ministers or generals sitting in a grandstand to view the proceedings," he remarked in a press conference.

"Nothing terrible happened, we all saw that and we all had sufficient time to react. Thank God we are not blind," he added.

Asked about the incident, the Air Chief said it would be "premature to comment." "I will reserve my comments till the time there is a proper debrief of the personnel," ACM Tyagi said.

However, Gen Singh, who was also present in the press conference, said not much should be made of the incident.

"Heavy drops are tricky things and gusts of wind can play havoc. However, please appreciate that the pilots managed to drop everything in the drop zone area," he said.

Gen Singh pointed out that it was only to enable proper viewing that the stands were built so close to the drop zone. "According to safety rules, they should have been at least two km away," he noted.

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