India: 3 killed as IAF fighter jet crashes into house

The pilot of the aircraft, however, ejected safely with minor injuries, and a military helicopter has reached the site of the accident for rescue operations

By ANI

Published: Mon 8 May 2023, 11:27 AM

Two civilians were killed after an Indian Air Force MiG-21 aircraft crashed on top of their house in Rajasthan's Hanumangarh at 9.45am Monday morning, police said.

The pilot of the aircraft, however, ejected safely with minor injuries, the IAF said, adding that a military helicopter has reached the accident site for rescue operations.

According to Superintendent of Police (SP), Hanumangarh, Sudheer Chaudhary, the incident took place in Bahlolnagar.

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The police official said that the civilians – two women – were killed, and one man sustained injuries as the MiG crashed on top of their house. The crashed aircraft had taken off from Suratgarh for a routine training sortie.

Soon after takeoff, the pilot experienced an onboard emergency, following which he attempted to recover the aircraft as per existing procedures. Having failed to do so, he initiated an ejection, sustaining minor injuries in the process. According to the Press Information Bureau, the pilot was recovered from about 25 kilometres North East of the Suratgarh base.

The Indian Air Force has ordered a court of inquiry to ascertain the cause of the accident. The MiG-21 fleet is on its last leg, and all the remaining three aircraft from the fleet are planned to be poached out by 2025.

Earlier in January, one pilot lost his life after two IAF fighter jets – a Sukhoi-30 and a Mirage 2000 – crashed during a training exercise. While one aircraft crashed in Morena in Madhya Pradesh, the other crashed and landed in Rajasthan's Bharatpur.

A statement released by the Press Information Bureau adds, "The IAF regrets the loss of lives and offers its deepest condolences to the bereaved families. A Court of Inquiry has been constituted to ascertain the cause of the accident."

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