DUSHANBE, July 14, 2012, Asia-Plus — Five pilots working with Tajik national air carrier, Tajik Air, who were held in Afghanistan for a month and half, returned home on July 13.
Together with other seven Tajik pilots, they were contracted to the Supreme Food company to haul food products for the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) troops in Afghanistan.
Tajik pilots worked in Afghanistan for several years and their contract expired June 1, but when they were going to fly home, the Afghan Ministry of Transport of Afghanistan detained two Tajik state-owned helicopters Mi-8 MTVs and their 12 crew members.
Flight engineer Ilhom Qayumov told journalists on June 28 that the reasons behind the detention of the helicopters and their crews are unclear. “The helicopters were allegedly going to leave the Kabul airport without preliminary permission of the control service of the Kabul airport,” Qayumov said. The Afghan transport ministry later withdrew its charges and handed control to Afghanistan’s ministry of defense and security service. The defense ministry has not provided any justifications for their continued detention.
Meanwhile, Tajik Air denied report about detention of its helicopters in Afghanistan as unfounded. A statement released by Tajik national carrier on June 30, in particular, says that two Mi-8 MTV helicopters are working in Afghanistan under the contract with the company dealing with carrying non-military cargo for NATO forces in Afghanistan.
“Because of economic debates that arose between the employer and the Ministry of Transport of Afghanistan, activities of more than 30 crews, including representatives of Tajikistan, Russia, Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan and Colombia, have been suspended,” the statement said, noting the crew members were not detained and they are still on business in Afghanistan and freely moving along Kabul.
Seven Tajik pilots were freed in early July.
The problem was solved when top managers of Tajik Air and deputy minister of transport of Tajikistan arrived in Kabul. “After the settlement of the situation, the pilots will continue their work in accordance with the contract,” a source at Tajik Air said.
The Mi-8 is a medium-sized twin-turbine transportation aircraft. It is the most widely used helicopter in the world and operates in more than 50 countries. The Mi-8, known by NATO as Hip, can also be converted into a gunship.
