Between first Amritsar call and take-off, there were 105 minutes

NEW DELHI, DEC 29: The Air Traffic Control (ATC) of the Raja Sansi Airport at Amritsar received its first distress signal from the pilot o...

NEW DELHI, DEC 29: The Air Traffic Control (ATC) of the Raja Sansi Airport at Amritsar received its first distress signal from the pilot of the hijacked aircraft IC-814 exactly one hour and 45 minutes before the aircraft took off the last time from Indian soil.

Documents in possession of the The Indian Express reveal that Captain D Sharan made his first distress call to the Amritsar ATC at 6.04 pm on Friday saying that the aircraft had only fuel for one hour left and that Lahore had disallowed the plane to enter its airspace.

Excerpts from the conversation between the pilot of IC-814 and the ATC Amritsar on Dec 24:

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1804 hours: IC 814 (to control tower): Maintaining flight level 260.14 miles short of AAR. We have only 1 hour fuel and OPLA is not letting us to enter their airspace.

1818 hrs: IC-814 (to control tower): cfm (confirm) with OPLA (Lahore). We are in contact with OPLA. OPLA is not allowing us to land and we have only 40 minutes fuel. They (the hijackers) are insisting usto go to OPLA and they are not allowing us to land in Indian soil.

1821 hrs: IC-814: Intentions are very strong as they have to land in OPLA only. Otherwise they are ready to crash anywhere. They do not want to land in India.

1826 hrs: IC-814: We have fuel only for half-an-hour. Please coordinate with OPLA. Please get us permission to land at OPLA. They are very silly and they will kill us one by one.

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1831 hrs: IC-814 : Kindly inform OPLA and request OPLA to let us land there in OPLA because their conscience is bad, they have already selected ten people to kill.

1832 hrs: IC-814: There is only 15 minutes fuel left over. With this we can remain 15 minutes in air. After that we don’t have fuel. Make sure we land in OPLA as they want to land in OPLA and otherwise not anywhere in India.

Amritsar ATC: We are negotiating through Delhi area.

1844 hrs: IC 814: We are descending now for VIAR (Amritsar airport).

ATC Amritsar: Descend to 2,800 ft. QNH 1019HPA RWY 34 (on runway number 34).

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IC 814: We are landing in VIAR now. Cfm RNW 34 (Confirm runway number 34.) ATC: Affirmative.

1845 hrs: IC-814: They want fuel tanker. If they are going to park on runway itself, if you have to position us, fuel tanker- fuel tanker. They have everything. Revolvers, AK-47, grenades, everything in hand everything open. They want refuelling is immediately done.

1848 hrs: IC-814: Go ahead. As per them (hijackers), if there will be any movement so first of all, they will kill one of us of the cockpit crew and they will kill 10 passengers which they have already selected.

1901 hrs:ATC: Landed 30. You will be parking on Dumble 16.

IC 814: We will be parking here itself.

1905 hrs: IC-814: They have only five minutes. Please send it fast.Please send it fast. They have only five minutes Roger, sir. Please send within five minutes otherwise they are going to blow one of us. Please send it fast immediately, otherwise one of us will beshot down.

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Amritsar ATC: Immediately, sir. As soon as they (oil tanker) will come, they will immediately be on site.

IC-814: Immediately, please send them fast. Request medium of conversation- Hindi, Roger, sir.

Amritsar ATC: Affirmative sir. We have already informed Indian Oil Company. They should be coming on the way because this is not usual time of landing. Indian oil was closed. We have alerted them. Ok.

1907 hrs: IC-814: As per them (hijackers) Agar kisine ustadi dikhane ki koshish ki, sab ko bhoon ke rakh dhenge’ (if anybody tries to act smart, we will kill all of them). They have grenades in their hands and revolvers and AK-47. Everything in their hand and we can see that. Roger.1911 hrs: IC -814: Only refuelling bowser should be there. Nothing else.

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Amritsar ATC: Affirmative sir. Only refuelling bowser will come to you, we confirm that.

IC-814: Please send it fast, send it fast, send it fast. Now guns are on our heads.

AmritsarATC: We are sending it very fast.

IC-814: Everbody will be shot down in another three to five minutes. Kindly please come refuller.

1915 hrs: IC-814: Why are you taking that much time. Guns are on our heads now.

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1921 hrs: IC-814: We have to see the bowser. Once we make 180 degree. Roger. If he does not see the bowser, he will kill us now.

1923 hrs: IC-814: They are going to kill us any time. Please send the bowser. They have started killing now. Where is oh…….. Where is the bowser now? please tell us.

1924 hrs: IC-814: Guns are on our shoulders. Please send the bowser fast.

1925 hrs: IC-814: Amrit please send the bowser now.

Amritsar ATC: Affirmative sir, sending the bowser.IC-814: Where is the bowser? Where is the bowser (crying voice), yaar. He has started killing the passenger. Why don’t you understand our problem? Where is bowser yaar?

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1925 hrs: IC-814: He has already killed a passenger now. Why don’t you understand.Now we have stopped. Send the bowser fast. Please. Where is the bowser?

1942 hrs: IC-814: Four passengers have been killed now. Why have not you respond? The bowser is not coming here. What is the problem?

1944 hrs: IC-814: They have killed four persons. They are starting killing everbody. Already and they will kill everbody now.

1949 hrs: IC-814: We are taking off from present position (crying background noise heard on radio transmission in tower). We are taking off. We are all dying now. No bowser. We are going to take off from here.