ISLAMABAD/NEW DELHI — India said on Friday it accidentally fired a missile into Pakistan because of a “technical malfunction” during routine maintenance.

“On 9 March 2022, in the course of a routine maintenance, a technical malfunction led to the accidental firing of a missile,” the government said in a statement.

“It is learnt that the missile landed in an area of Pakistan. While the incident is deeply regrettable, it is also a matter of relief that there has been no loss of life due to the accident.”

Pakistan’s military on Thursday said an unidentified high-altitude supersonic object originating in India had crashed in Pakistani territory, in an incident endangering civilian passenger flights, and New Delhi should provide an explanation.

“The flight path of this object endangered many national and international passenger flights both in Indian and Pakistani airspace as well as human life and property of ground.”

A Pakistan air force official at the press conference said the object was being analyzed forensically and initial studies suggested it was a surface-to-surface supersonic missile, but was unarmed.

He said it travelled at an altitude of 40,000 feet, at Mach 3, and flew 124 km (77 miles) in Pakistani airspace before crashing. — Agencies