ISLAMABAD - An Indian helicopter, which was Sunday forced by Pakistan's jet fighters to land because of airspace violation, has returned to India along with the crew, a Pakistan army spokesman told AFP.
"The helicopter and crew have been allowed to go back," Major General Athar Abbas said, adding that "military officials from both countries talked with each other", and the Pakistan army provided refueling for the helicopter.
An Indian government foreign affairs spokesman said on Twitter the government was "relieved" that the officers and helicopter were back in Indian territory.
He said that India "greatly appreciate" the manner in which Pakistan "worked with us in resolving" the matter.
Investigations were under way to determine why the helicopter crossed into air space around Pakistan's northern Skardu area, Abbas said.
In an earlier statement from New Delhi, the Indian government said it seemed the incident had been caused by bad weather.
Skardu lies near India-administered Kashmir.
India and Pakistan have fought three wars since independence in 1947 -- two of them over the fate of the Himalayan territory of Kashmir -- which each country holds in part but claims in full.
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