
A state of heightened alert has been declared in India’s northeastern Manipur following the sighting of an unidentified flying object (UFO) near the runway of Imphal, the capital city’s airport, on Sunday, November 19. The incident occurred at approximately 2 pm local time, when Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel spotted the object. As a consequence, flight operations were immediately halted, leaving around 500 passengers of three outbound flights stranded.
Airport authorities swiftly closed the controlled airspace, bringing all flight operations to a standstill. Two incoming flights were diverted, while three outbound flights were delayed. According to reports, the unidentified object was observed in the vicinity of the ATC tower, prompting the suspension of takeoffs for two Air India flights and one IndiGo flight.
A statement issued by Airport Director Chipemmi Keishing confirmed the disruption caused by the UFO sighting. “Due to the sighting of an unidentified flying object within Imphal controlled airspace, two flights have been diverted and three departing flights have been delayed. Flight operations commenced after receipt of clearance from the competent authority,” the statement read.
The three flights scheduled to depart from Imphal to Agartala, Guwahati, and Kolkata remained suspended until 6 pm. Additionally, an inbound flight from Delhi to Imphal was diverted to Kolkata, while another incoming flight from Guwahati to Imphal, initially suspended, was later allowed to depart at 6.50 pm.
An Air Traffic Control (ATC) official provided further details regarding the UFO sighting. “The UFO was visible with bare eyes moving westwards of the airfield till 4 pm,” the official told PTI news agency.
The airspace surrounding the airport was temporarily handed over to the Indian Air Force (IAF) to assess the situation. Following the IAF’s clearance, the airspace was restored for commercial flight operations after a three-hour hiatus.
A joint investigation has been launched by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation and the Indian Air Force to ascertain the nature of the incident. The Indian Air Force Eastern Command at Shillong has also been informed of the development.
Manipur shares borders with the Indian states of Nagaland, Mizoram, and Assam, and has an international border with Myanmar to its east.