JAIPUR: A fighter aircraft belonging to the Indian Air Force crashed in Rajasthan on Monday. Although the pilot was safe, two civilians were killed and one injured in the incident.
According to reports, a MiG-21 fighter jet crashed near Bahlolnagar in the Hanumangarh district of Rajasthan on Monday morning. The incident took place during a routine flight from Suratgarh in the state. Two civilians, both women, perished in the incident as the plane crashed into their house. One more civilian, a man, was also injured in the incident. The police chief of the district mentioned that rescue operations were underway after the incident.
The Indian Air Force also released a statement regarding the incident. It said, “A MiG-21 aircraft of the IAF crashed near Suratgarh during a routine training sortie today morning. The pilot ejected safely, sustaining minor injuries. An inquiry has been constituted to ascertain the cause of the accident."
This incident comes nearly four months after two fighter jets belonging to the Indian Air Force had crashed in Madhya Pradesh's Morena district during a routine exercise. Two pilots escaped safely while a third sustained "fatal injuries". In a statement, the IAF said the accident took place when the Sukhoi-30 MKI and Mirage 2000 were engaged in the air bombing exercise. The two aircraft had taken off from the Gwalior Air Force Station.
"One of the three pilots involved, sustained fatal injuries. An inquiry has been ordered to determine the cause of the accident," said the IAF statement. According to defence sources, the Sukhoi-30 MKI had two pilots, while the Mirage 2000 had one during the crash that occurred in the bordering area of Morena and Bharatpur (Rajasthan).
The Defence Minister also enquired about the well-being of the pilots and is monitoring the developments closely, they added. In its statement, the IAF said that it has established a "Court of Inquiry which will establish whether there was a mid-air collision or not" between the two fighter jets.
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