India says pilot missing in action, Pakistan claims Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman captured

In a press briefing today, Raveesh Kumar, official spokesperson for Ministry of External Affairs, said that in an aerial engagement this morning, one Pakistan Air Force fighter aircraft was shot down by a MiG 21 Bison of the Indian Air Force. “The Pakistani aircraft was seen by ground forces falling from the sky on the Pakistani side. In this engagement, we have lost one MiG 21, the pilot is missing in action. Pakistan has claimed that he is in their custody. We are ascertaining the facts,” Kumar said.

Early today Pakistan claimed that it shot down two aircrafts of the Indian Air Force and captured two pilots. A video has been released.

In the video, a person wearing a flight suit is heard saying that he is Wing Commander Abhinandan. He is blindfolded and gives out his service number 27981. Following this, he can be heard asking if he is speaking to an officer and if he is in the custody of the Pakistan Army.

The video was released after a press conference held by spokesperson of the Pakistan armed forces Major General Asif Ghafoor.