As per preliminary reports, the incident took place at around 9 PM when the MiG aircraft was involved in a sortie over the Baytu region.
Barmer: One MiG fighter aircraft belonging to the An Indian Air Force crashed in Rajasthan’s Barmer district on Thursday evening. According to reports, two pilots who were inside the aircraft died in the incident. However, the exact reason for the crash is yet to be known.
Initial reports suggested that the debris of the aircraft was found scattered on a half-kilometer stretch in Bhimda village in Barmer district. Barmer district collector, superintendent of police and air force officials rushed to the spot after getting the report about the incident.
#WATCH | Rajasthan: A MiG-21 fighter aircraft of the Indian Air Force crashed near Barmer district. Further details regarding the pilots awaited pic.twitter.com/5KfO24hZB6
Taking to Twitter, the IAF said the twin-seater MiG-21 trainer aircraft was airborne for a training sortie from Utarlai air base in Rajasthan this evening.
“Both the pilots in the MiG-21 Trainer aircraft lost their lives in the crash. The IAF deeply regrets the loss of lives and stands firmly with the bereaved families. A court of Inquiry has been ordered to ascertain the cause of the accident,” the Indian Air Force said in a statement.
As per preliminary reports, the incident took place at around 9 PM when the MiG aircraft was involved in a sortie over the Baytu region.
In the meantime, Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh spoke to Indian Air Force chief Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari on the crash of MiG-21 fighter aircraft in Barmer. The IAF chief briefed him on the incident in detail.
The Air Force said the MiG-21 is a Soviet-era single-engine multirole fighter/ground attack aircraft that forms the backbone of its fleet. First inducted into the IAF in the 1960s soon after the Indo-China War, the MiG-21 aircraft was upgraded to the MiG-21 Bison version in 2006. The latest upgrades included powerful multi-mode radars, better avionics and communication systems.
Defence minister Rajnath Singh expresses condolences for the two Air Warriors who lost their lives in an accident of IAF’s Mig-21 trainer aircraft near Barmer in Rajasthan.
“Deeply anguished by the loss of two Air Warriors due to an accident of IAF’s Mig-21 trainer aircraft near Barmer in Rajasthan. Their service to the nation will never be forgotten. My thoughts are with the bereaved families in this hour of sadness,” Rajnath Singh said in a tweet.
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts Cookies Policy.
