New Delhi, May 8
A MiG-21 fighter aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF) crashed on Monday morning near Hanumangarh in Rajasthan.
The pilot ejected and sustained injuries. However, the wreckage of the plane killed three people on ground.
The plane had taken off from the IAF base at Suratgarh.
“The aircraft wreckage fell on a house in Bahlol Nagar in Hanumangarh district, unfortunately leading to the loss of three lives,” the IAF said, adding it regrets the loss of lives and offers its deepest condolences to the bereaved families.
A Court of Inquiry has been ordered to ascertain the cause of the accident.
“The aircraft had got airborne for a routine operational training sortie from Suratgarh. Soon the pilot experienced an on-board emergency, following which he tried to recover the aircraft as per existing procedures. Having failed to do so, he tried to eject,
sustaining minor injuries in the process. The pilot was recovered from about 25 kilometres north-east of Suratgarh base,” the IAF said.
