By Express News Service
BHOPAL/ NEW DELHI: At least one pilot has been feared dead and two others were injured after two fighter jets of the Indian Air Force (IAF) – Sukhoi Su-30 MKI and Mirage-2000 – crashed in the jungles of Madhya Pradesh’s Morena district on Saturday.
The IAF said the jets were on a routine operational flying training mission at the time of the accident.
Officials said the two pilots of the Sukhoi-30MKI aircraft ejected safely while the pilot of the Mirage-2000 lost his life. An IAF helicopter was flown to the crash site to rush the injured pilots for medical treatment.
The Mirage-2000 aircraft had plunged into the rocky jungles of Pahargarh (80 kilometres from Morena). The debris of the Sukhoi aircraft was scattered along the jungles in the neighbouring state of Rajasthan, the Morena district collector told TNIE.
Both the fighter jets had taken off from the Gwalior Airbase and were possibly on their way back when the tragic accident happened.
Meanwhile, the IAF has ordered an inquiry to determine the cause of the accident.
Defence Ministry sources told TNIE, “Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has been briefed by the Chief of Air Staff on the crash of the two IAF aircraft. The defence minister has enquired about the well-being of the IAF pilots and is monitoring the developments closely.”
Two fighter aircraft of IAF were involved in an accident near Gwalior today morning. The aircraft were on routine operational flying training mission.One of the three pilots involved, sustained fatal injuries. An inquiry has been ordered to determine the cause of the accident.
— Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) January 28, 2023
BHOPAL/ NEW DELHI: At least one pilot has been feared dead and two others were injured after two fighter jets of the Indian Air Force (IAF) – Sukhoi Su-30 MKI and Mirage-2000 – crashed in the jungles of Madhya Pradesh’s Morena district on Saturday.
The IAF said the jets were on a routine operational flying training mission at the time of the accident.
Officials said the two pilots of the Sukhoi-30MKI aircraft ejected safely while the pilot of the Mirage-2000 lost his life. An IAF helicopter was flown to the crash site to rush the injured pilots for medical treatment.
The Mirage-2000 aircraft had plunged into the rocky jungles of Pahargarh (80 kilometres from Morena). The debris of the Sukhoi aircraft was scattered along the jungles in the neighbouring state of Rajasthan, the Morena district collector told TNIE.
Both the fighter jets had taken off from the Gwalior Airbase and were possibly on their way back when the tragic accident happened.
Meanwhile, the IAF has ordered an inquiry to determine the cause of the accident.
Defence Ministry sources told TNIE, “Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has been briefed by the Chief of Air Staff on the crash of the two IAF aircraft. The defence minister has enquired about the well-being of the IAF pilots and is monitoring the developments closely.”
Two fighter aircraft of IAF were involved in an accident near Gwalior today morning. The aircraft were on routine operational flying training mission.
One of the three pilots involved, sustained fatal injuries. An inquiry has been ordered to determine the cause of the accident.
— Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) January 28, 2023
